Field of Innocence
by Lady of the Ink
Summary: {Complete} AU- SR A companion piece to "Another's Name But My Heart". Rin hadn't known that helping the injured Sesshomaru would bring the terror of her past back to haunt her, but it did. Now she has only him to rely on as she faces it.
1. Chapter 1

**Field of Innocence  
**By _Lady of the Ink  
_Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, but you knew that . . .I hope. But I do own this plot and all the twists that it takes.

**X**

**A/N:** This is a companion piece to "Another's Name But My Heart". It's not a songfic, regardless of the title. That's just a way to tie into "ANBMH" since that fic's chapter titles are all song titles as well. This first chapter is basically a recap of the Sesshomaru and Rin relationship thus far. If you're a follower of "Another's Name", you can really skip or just skim this, since it's all stuff you've already read.

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**Chapter One**

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Sesshomaru had quickly tired of the small castle that was Inuyasha's new home and the scent of humans that permeated it. While the pitiful dwelling was perfect for his half-breed brother, it was far beneath what he, a powerful _full_ demon, deserved. When Inuyasha vanished soon after his new human wife fled the room, he wasted no time in removing himself from the offensive surroundings.

Since the nearby courtyards were just as bad as inside, he turned himself towards the thick stand of trees off to the left. It was the beginning of the dividing forest between the human village and the Western Lands. He was soon surrounded by the fresh scent of nature and nothing else, proving that this was an area the villagers obviously avoided. It was probably the only evidence of wisdom he had seen them display yet.

Although there was something of an uneasy truce between the two areas, demons had been known to cross the unofficial divider and make a meal of the unsuspecting travelers who ventured too near. Every time it happened, there was the threat of a battle and action had to be taken by both sides to prevent it.

It was one of the biggest factors that had his father pushing Inuyasha into his marriage with the human woman. There had been other reasons, of course, but Sesshomaru wasn't going to waste his time dwelling on them. His father's request might keep him near his brother for the next several days, but that didn't mean he needed to spend all his time thinking about the worthless hanyou.

He moved around the base of a particularly old tree and paused. His brow furrowed just the slightest bit as he raised his chin several inches. For a moment, he remained exactly as he was, judging something that had drifted to him on the slight breeze. There was a scent there, so faint one of lesser ability might not have picked up on it.

Human.

He could smell a human.

Sesshomaru took a few steps and the odor intensified. It wasn't curiosity that moved him forward, he told himself. No mere human could inspire such a thing in him. It was merely a diversion, something somewhat less wearisome than the other options open to him at the moment.

The smell became the strongest in a small meadow hidden within the trees. Flowers bloomed in profusion, adding their fragrance into the mix. Whoever it was that dared live in the forest did so alone. There was only one scent layered on the air, proving that the human had come and gone many times in the past. The newest layer was only hours old, its freshness allowing him to tell that that it was a young female.

A moment passed as Sesshomaru questioned why such a person would be living alone in the forest. Did she have no family? Had she been abandoned?

Realizing what he was doing, Sesshomaru quickly called a halt to his wayward thoughts. Turning on his heel, he made his way back through the trees the way he had come. He was leaving because he was uninterested in the little amusement his discovery could offer. It had nothing to do with the knowledge that since the nameless, faceless human had already visited the meadow once, she would be unlikely to return that day.

And that wasn't disappointment he felt, either.

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Sesshomaru had decided quite suddenly that it was time to bring his visit to an end. It could have been because he was tired of being surrounded by the scent and sight of so many humans. It could have been because he had had enough of dealing with his inferior half brother. It could have been because he had fulfilled his obligation to his father and was therefore free to leave. It could have been because he had responsibilities at home that required his attention.

But it wasn't for any of those reasons that he was making his way back to the Western Lands.

The truth of the matter was that he had met an obstacle in the smooth path that he chose to follow in life. Something had caught his attention, a feat that was not so easily accomplished. From the first day that he had stepped into the meadow, the mystery of its daily visitor had occupied a portion of his mind almost nonstop.

It was a situation not to be tolerated.

He was the next Lord of the Western Lands, one of the highest-ranking demons ever to have lived. He could not - _would not_ - allow himself to be distracted by the oddities of a human that he had never even laid eyes on. So he was removing himself from the annoyance - by no means would he acknowledge it as a temptation - by the quickest route available.

And if that route just so happened to wind its way past the clearing . . .well, that wasn't his doing.

Sesshomaru continued telling himself that even as he maneuvered around trees and bushes that had become almost familiar over the last days. He stopped only when he arrived at his destination. Not that he had headed there deliberately, of course. It was just on the way.

His chin lifted slightly as he drew in a deep breath. His heightened sense of smell quickly separated all the scents, picking out the one he was most interested in. It was old, telling him that the girl had yet to stop by that day. It was the first time he had arrived before her, and the situation began a mental war in his head.

On one hand, he could remain where he was until the human came, which would assuage his curiosity and allow him to remove her from his mind. But doing that would acknowledge that he _had_ been curious, which was surely a sign of weakness in one such as him. He shouldn't care one way or another if he ever saw her. She was human and thus beneath his notice. Just because there seemed to be something . . ._different_ about her didn't change that.

He was still debating when a sound from behind him caught his attention. He turned, but not quickly enough. In the moment before a blinding mist surrounded him, he caught a flash of dark hair and a body clad in armor. Sesshomaru, knowing that his eyes were useless for the moment, tried to rely on his other senses. It took only one breath for him to know that his enemy was more cunning than he had thought. A heavy scent erupted on the air, blocking out any useful information and making him almost dizzy with its overpowering intensity.

A stinging sensation struck his neck, not really hurting but painful enough for him to be aware of it. His hand slid to the wound, finding several small darts still stuck in his skin. Since they obviously couldn't have been meant to injure him that left only one possible purpose. Poison.

His guess was confirmed when a prickling burn began spreading from the spot. The dizziness became worse almost immediately, telling him that his attacker had taken no chances, using an extremely strong mixture. As he began to go numb, Sesshomaru summoned all the energy he could. He might not have been able to see or smell anything, but that alone would not be enough to make him go down without a fight.

Just as he felt the full force of the poison taking effect, he released the energy he had gathered in a wide arc. He felt the power of it sparking on the very air and took a small measure of satisfaction from knowing that no matter where the unseen enemy had been standing at that moment, it should have hit them.

Then the world faded to black.

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He was beautiful.

That was her first thought when she came upon him laying among the flowers. His long, silvery hair pooled around his head, interspersed with leaves and grass. His clothing, once a pristine white, was now spotted with grass stains and darker, more alarming blotches. Since his eyes were closed, she couldn't see their color, but she had a feeling it would be something other than the common blue or brown to match the other aspects of his distinctive appearance.

It was with some difficulty that Rin forced her attention away from his face. He was, after all, obviously wounded, and his welfare was more important than her curiosity. Kneeling beside him, she checked for signs of life. His breathing was shallow and a bit fast, but nothing to be alarmed about. His heartbeat was strong and steady, indicating that he was simply knocked out rather than gravely injured.

Looking at his head, she found no bumps or bruises to account for his state. Even when she went so far as to run her fingers through his hair, she could find nothing wrong with him. Frowning, she decided a closer look was in order.

As thorough as her examination was, it only took a moment for Rin to come across the darts sticking out of the pale skin of his neck. She carefully pulled one out, wincing at the drop of blood that welled as a result. Warily avoiding the sharp point, she studied it closely. The thin coating near the tip caught her interest. Bringing it to her nose, she took a cautious sniff. The familiar scent confirmed her guess of poison.

She pulled a small cloth from her pocket and spread it out on the grass at her side. Placing the dart in the center, she turned back to the unconscious man. Soon three more darts joined the first. Wrapping them carefully to avoid getting stuck herself, she slid the bundle back into her pocket and stood.

Rin stared down at the man, sighing a bit. She couldn't just leave him alone in the middle of the field. Although his condition wasn't serious as far as she could tell, it wouldn't do anyone any good to be subjected to a night on the cold ground with no blanket. It would be best if she send him back to his home, but since she didn't know where that was, she supposed her home would have to do.

That is, if she could figure out how to move him . . .

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Rin stood outside the single window of her small cottage. Rain was falling down all around her, soaking into her clothing and plastering her hair to her head, but she didn't mind. She had always enjoyed the many faces of nature and found a simple kind of pleasure in being surrounded by them. There were countless times in her memory when she had spent the entire day dancing beneath the raindrops or walking through meadows coated in a layer of newly fallen snow. The occasional cold she caught was a minor discomfort compared to the peace her actions brought to her.

For the first time in her life, she had been confronted by something equally as wild as nature. Only being around this entity was bringing her anything but peace.

Her eyes locked onto the pale, still figure currently occupying her bed. He hadn't moved since she had managed to maneuver him there, which was no more than she had expected. While the treatment she had given his neck had removed most of the darts' poison, some had still made its way into his bloodstream. Though not nearly potent enough to be lethal, she guessed he would be out for quite some time.

It was probably a good thing that he had remained unconscious so far, she thought to herself with a small smile. Even out cold, he appeared to have a wealth of dignity. She doubted he would have handled being drug through the dirt back to her home wrapped in her shawl very well.

Rin found herself wondering once more what he had done that led to his being attacked. The fact that whoever had assaulted him had left him there pointed to it having been a deliberate action and not some unfortunate accident. She felt a spurt of sympathy for him, but forced herself to tamp it down. For all she knew, he could be some kind of criminal, on the run after doing an evil deed.

Then again, as she knew from firsthand experience, some people could incite cruel responses from others simply by being different. And her uninvited guest certainly was that. Aside from the obvious high quality of his clothing, there were also the markings on his face and arms. Along with his pointed ears, he wasn't like anyone or anything that she had ever seen before.

With a sigh, Rin came to a decision. Until he woke up, there was no way for her to find out whether his harsh treatment was deserved or not. And in the end, it didn't really matter. She would keep him warm, fed, and dry, and when he was well enough, she would send him on his way. Their encounter would be as short as she could make it, and then she would be free to return to her solitary way of life. Ignoring the small pang that came as a result of that choice, she made her way through the door. The soup she had left on the fire needed tending to unless she wanted it to turn into a charred mess.

The quick glance she tossed toward the bed showed her guest in the same position as when she had left. Unsurprised, Rin crossed to the small fireplace and stirred the contents of the pot that hung there. The stew was well on its way to being finished and its savory smell caused her stomach to rumble. Glancing to the table that rested nearby, she caught sight of the bowl of berries she had just picked that morning. Giving into temptation, she popped a few of the ripe fruits into her mouth. She sighed lightly at the sweet taste before turning to her next task.

In one corner of the small room sat a woven basket. It was filled only a little more than halfway with various plants and flowers, since she hadn't finished her gathering before stumbling onto the stranger in the meadow. As it was, it contained enough to keep her busy for the rest of the morning and into the afternoon. Rin moved to the small table, bringing the basket with her. Settling it at her feet, she reached in and pulled out a handful of plants. Humming to herself, she began sorting them into piles according to the use she planned to put them to. A few were for cooking, but the majority of the others would be boiled or mashed for use in healing mixtures and creams.

As she sorted, her mind drifted back to when she was first learning the skill of medicines. If she concentrated hard enough, she could almost hear her mother's voice as she carefully explained the uses of each plant.

__

"Now Rin, this plant is best for curing sore throats. It only grows for a short time, so it's best to get as much as you can at once."

"The petals from this flower work very well on headaches. You boil them in water just like tea. You know it's ready when the water turns this lovely shade of light pink."

"If you shred this one and soak it in water, you can form it into a compress. It'll create a nice, tight seal over wounds, easing the pain and helping to stop the bleeding at the same time."

Some of her best memories had been formed there at her mother's side as she found equal joy in both the company and the lessons she was learning. It had solidified her love of plants and elevated her mother to an almost superhuman standing in her mind. It had seemed like there was nothing that she didn't know, no illness she couldn't cure.

In the end, she had paid an awful price for that knowledge.

Rin quickly shook off the darker memories that threatened to rise. She had promised herself and her mother a long time ago that she would concentrate on the good times and try to forget the bad times. It was the only way she managed to make it through each day.

She refocused her attention on the plants in front of her and, with her renewed dedication to the chore, finished sorting them in no time at all. With a length of string she retrieved from her pocket, she fashioned and wrapped several different bundles of herbs. They would soon join others like them, hanging from a rafter to dry. The rest of the flowers got pushed to the far edge of the table as she grabbed another handful and repeated the process.

The sun was reaching its cresting point by the time she finished. After she allowed herself a good long stretch to relieve muscles that had been still for too long, Rin turned to the only other undertaking left to her: the stranger in her bed. With all the time that had passed since she had brought him home with her, the ill effects of the poison should have just about worn off. It was getting to the point where she should try to wake him and assess his condition.

Moving to the bed, she grabbed the jar of cream she had left nearby earlier. Depending on how the wounds in his neck were coming, she might need to apply another coat of the salve. She took a seat on the edge of the bed, tucking the ends of her skirt neatly under her legs.

Rin leaned over the sleeping visitor, meaning to have a closer look at his neck. Somewhere along the way, however, her line of vision went off track. She studied his face, almost awed by the perfection of his features. He was so different from anyone she had ever seen before, more flawless than a living thing had right to be. His skin was so pale and still that she could almost convince herself he had been chiseled from stone by some loving sculptor with the intent of creating a god.

She found her eyes tracing the pattern of stripes on his face, and before she could stop herself, her finger rose to follow that same path. His skin was smooth beneath her touch, and softer than she thought flesh could be. Without conscious thought, she moved her hand until her palm was cupping his cheek . . .just as he opened his eyes.

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When he had first begun his journey to be a warrior, as all truly great leaders must be, Sesshomaru had decided to become the best. No task was too difficult, no exercise too rigorous for him to undertake in pursuit of that goal. He held himself to a higher standard than others, even those selected by his father to teach him. They sought to impart their knowledge and experience to him; he, in turn, sought to surpass them and become stronger.

The result of his diligence with his training was a set of finely honed senses and an instinct so acute that it bordered on intuition. Many times in his life, Sesshomaru had had cause to be grateful for them. They had saved him from injury and even death on several occasions. Sometimes they even came in useful in situations with much smaller odds.

He had awoken to just such an occurrence. In the seconds directly after he went from unconscious to aware, Sesshomaru's senses quickly began to catalogue information about his environment. While his eyes remained closed to veil his newly alert state, his nose, ears, and even skin were gathering facts for his benefit.

His ears caught the sound of a bubbling liquid overlapping the hiss and crackle of a fire. There was also the smell of smoke, light enough for him to identify its source as a small blaze. It was accompanied by the odor of cooking vegetables and several freshly cut plants. Over top of it all was an almost disturbingly familiar scent of a human . . .

Sesshomaru had to force himself to maintain his feigned slumber when he recognized it as belonging to the woman from the meadow, the one he had never managed to catch a glimpse of. The smell was much thicker here, and fresher than he had ever found it. The sound of humming reached his ears, telling him that she hadn't gone far.

It took a large amount of concentration for him to continue his survey after he realized that. He was disconcerted by the distraction that that woman caused him. Nothing like it had ever happened to him before, and he was less than happy with it. He was determined to find a way to stop it, no matter what. After that, he would strive to ensure that such a reaction never troubled him again.

But that was later. Focusing closely, he caught the sound of raindrops falling to the ground. Although the drumming noise they made came from directly overhead, he felt no trace of them on his clothing or face. Added together, the information he had told him was inside a sort of shelter. There was a small, controlled fire nearby with some sort of food cooking on it. And finally, the person who was behind all of those things was the phantom human he had been plagued by since his arrival.

Pleased that his well-trained senses hadn't let him down, Sesshomaru turned to his other source of information. While there was no real science behind his instinct, he had learned to trust it without question. What it told him, he accepted as fact. And at that moment, his instinct was telling him that he was being watched.

The slight scraping of a piece of furniture being moved quickly followed that revelation. Footsteps whispered across the floor, coming closer to where he lay. He felt the corner of the bed dip as she sat down at his side.

It took every ounce of Sesshomaru's will not to react when he felt the first touch upon his face. A shiver worked its way up his spine as the gentle touch crested the half-moon on his forehead before moving on to the stripes crossing his cheekbones. However, when he felt the sensation of a warm palm settle on his cheek, nothing could have stopped him from opening his eyes.

The girl leaning over him didn't so much as flinch when he did so. She merely subjected them to the same careful consideration she'd been giving the rest of him. Her hand remained on his cheek and she seemed completely unconcerned about being caught in the intimate gesture.

Several different realizations swept through Sesshomaru all at once. One was the fact that he was finally face to face with the girl from the meadow. Another was that someone had managed to get the better of him in a fight, albeit through sneaky tactics. Still another was that he was still weak from whatever had been done to him, and would need time to regain his strength.

There was a single thought much louder and more primal than the others. That voice was telling him that a _human_ was daring to lay her hands on _his_ body without permission as though it were nothing. It wasn't to be allowed. His eyes flared red and his lips drew back to reveal his fangs as a warning growl rolled smoothly from his throat.

The action got the desired effect as the girl jumped, her eyes widening in surprise. Her hand slid from his cheek as she pulled away slightly. Although she straightened so that she was no longer leaning over him, she remained seated at his side. Her expressive face broadcast her emotions clearly as surprise melted into confusion and, for the first time, uncertainty. It was quickly replaced by what he'd soon learn was her usual expression as a grin tilted her lips.

Sesshomaru felt off balance, and he didn't like it one bit. When he threatened someone, they were supposed to acknowledge his ferocity. They were supposed to go weak-kneed and speechless in fright. They were not supposed to _smile _at him.

Not liking her unexpected reactions, he turned his head away from her to stare at the wall. A few moments passed before he heard her climb to her feet and cross the room. There were some scraping noises and the sound of liquid being poured before the footsteps returned to his side. A weighty silence followed, telling him that the girl was waiting for some action on his part. Stealing a glance at her from the corner of his eye, he saw that she now held a bowl of the soup that he'd smelled cooking earlier. Her other hand had a cup of what he guessed to be water.

His head hadn't moved as he made his quick perusal, but she somehow seemed to know that she had his attention. Both offerings were thrust directly under his nose as an expectant look crossed her face.

"I don't want it," he said clearly, hoping the unusual girl would take the hint and leave him be. He was likely to be stuck with her through the night until he regained his strength. The last thing that he wanted to have to fend off her attempts to care for him for the rest of that time.

The girl simply rolled her eyes and pushed the dishes even closer to his face. Licking her lips, she made a little humming noise in the back of her throat and smiled as though to tell him it was delicious.

He could have ignored her. He could have allowed her to continue thinking it was the fear of bad cooking that kept he from taking it. He could have, and he meant to, but somehow an explanation tripped its way off his tongue without his permission. "I don't eat human food."

Her brows drew down in momentary confusion over that statement, but it didn't last long. Titling her head to the side in consideration, she squinted her eyes as she studied him. Giving her head a single sharp nod, her expression cleared as though she had come to an acceptable conclusion. She didn't say a word, just watched him with that same small smile hovering about her mouth.

Apparently accepting that he had told her the truth, she pulled back the bowl. The glass of water she balanced on the floor by the side of the bed. She gestured towards it as though to say it was there if he wanted it and then turned away. Even without looking, he knew that she took a seat across the room. She proceeded to eat the soup she'd offered to him.

Sesshomaru returned his gaze to wall as the girl cleaned up her dishes and did random chores about the house. Every time she passed the bed, she would pause to offer a warm smile before moving on. By the time night began to fall, he had listened or seen her dust all the shelves, mend a rip in what he assumed to be an article of her clothing, brew several different pungent mixtures and leave them to steep, and sweep the floor with a meticulous hand.

Setting aside the broom, the girl moved once more the bed. This time she walked right passed him, however, and knelt at the foot. He realized that there was a trunk sitting there when she popped open the lid.

Across the small distance came the slightly musty scent of a long-enclosed space. From the confines of the trunk, the girl pulled out a number of items and placed them at her side. A stack of clothing, a few old dolls, and some worn books were handled lovingly and with great care.

She perked up when she reached the bottom, apparently having found what she'd been looking for. Several quilts were lifted into view and she hugged them to her chest before setting them aside. The other things were returned to their former places and the trunk was closed. He soon learned the purpose of the additional blankets when she formed them into a makeshift pallet by the fireplace.

Satisfied with their positioning, she vanished through the door, causing him a moment of agitation that he quickly repressed. It made no difference to him where she was going, or even if she ever came back. She was merely an insignificant human, and his stay in her home an unwelcome necessity until he regained his strength. With any luck, he would be able to leave first thing in the morning.

Even so, Sesshomaru found himself relaxing slightly when she returned soon after with an armload of firewood. She stacked it carefully by the fireplace where it could be used the following morning, unlike any pieces that remained outside and would be damp with dew.

Brushing the woodchips and bits of bark from her hands, she took a final turn about the room, setting small things right in preparation for the night. Banking the fire with an experienced hand, she offered him a little wave before lying down. He turned away without acknowledgement, but found himself listening to her breathing as she began to drift off.

The night passed slowly. Sesshomaru, not needing sleep so much as rest, found himself with nothing but his thoughts to occupy to his time. Not likely the paths they took -mostly involving a certain human female who bothered him more than she should- he looked for a distraction. Of course, the only distraction in the room was the very thing he sought to be distracted from.

The slow and even breathing that filled his ears told him that the girl was deeply asleep. Since she couldn't see him, Sesshomaru decided to indulge his curiosity about her. It didn't mean she interested him, he told himself, it was merely the wise thing to do to learn all he could about the only other living thing around at the moment. Really.

She lay on her side, facing in his direction. One hand was tucked beneath her cheek, the other lay palm up on the floor in front of her. He remembered the sensation of her hand on his cheek, the calluses on it proof that she was no pampered maiden. Her hair, too, was proof of her existence outside of social customs, being far longer and worn loose against current fashion. It was well taken care of, though, shining with cleanliness and health.

If the girl lived a life as solitary as it seemed, she had obviously done so long enough to learn to take care of her self. She seemed totally self sufficient, something Sesshomaru never would have thought a human woman capable of. His experience had shown them to be even weaker than their male counterparts, relying on them for protection and their basic needs. It added to his understanding that she was _different_.

As though his thoughts had reached her even in slumber, the girl murmured softly to herself. Sesshomaru froze as she shifted position, turning onto her other side and presenting him with her back. In no time at all she had slipped back into the deep sleep of earlier.

Her face was now hidden from view and Sesshomaru found his eyes drifting downward. The quilt that had been covering her from neck to toes her gotten twisted, slipping askew until it only reached her waist. The lower half of her body was covered to her knees by the fabric of her skirt. That, too, had bunched up on her relocation, leaving her calves and feet bare.

The room was dark, with only the faintest of light coming from the banked fire. Even so, Sesshomaru's demon blood had given him eyes that saw nearly as clearly at night as in broad daylight. He was able to make out the smallest of details . . .including the thick scars that wound their way up the girl's legs to her knees.


	2. Chapter 2

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Field of Innocence

By _Lady of the Ink  
_Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, but you knew that . . .I hope. But I do own this plot and all the twists that it takes.

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A/N: And so begins the new content.

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Chapter Two

* * *

Rin woke just before dawn, as was her usual routine. Her unnamed visitor lie as she had left him in her bed. For some reason, she doubted that he was asleep, even though his eyes were closed and he was completely motionless. There was an alertness to him that seemed to preclude sleep. It was like nothing she had seen before, although she admittedly had little experience to compare it to.

Awake or asleep, she figured he'd let her know when he wanted her attention. Until then, she'd go about her day as usual. With that in mind, she folded the blankets she'd used as a makeshift mattress and piled them on top of the trunk. Once that was finished, she headed to her supplies and fixed herself a breakfast of berries and some bread she had gotten in exchange for one of her remedies a few days back. Food in hand, she drifted outside.

The dew-covered grass was cool against her bare feet as she headed towards the meadow. It was her favorite place to watch the sun rise. As it rose over the trees, it washed the clearing in its soft, warm colors. For those few moments, the flowers she loved so dearly wore a different shade, making then somehow exotic, though she saw them everyday.

On this particular morning, Rin found herself distracted from the view. Her mind remained focused on the stranger who had fallen so suddenly into her life. The poison he'd been hit with should have almost completely dissolved from his bloodstream. While she wasn't sure exactly how quickly it would happen, she knew his strength would return faster than a human's. In no time at all, he would be on his way and out of her life.

Rin sank to the ground, drawing her feet beneath her skirt and then resting her chin on her knees. She sighed. It had been strange having someone in the house with her. He didn't say much, but his presence was hard to ignore. In a way, it had been nice knowing she wasn't alone. She wasn't stupid; she knew that he was potentially dangerous to her. Her experience with demons was limited, but even she knew of their strength, speed, and skill.

It was that same knowledge that brought her comfort. Even in his condition, he could have killed or injured her a dozen times over the past day and night. One flick of his claws or just a squeeze of his hand and she'd have been done for. As isolated a life as she lived, there was no one and nothing stopping him from doing whatever he wanted to her.

And yet, he hadn't laid a hand on her.

It was perplexing, really. She couldn't think of a single reason why he was acting the way that he was. Sure, she had helped him, but he would have recovered just fine, if a little less comfortably, without her interference. He owed her nothing and yet had shown her what she could only call consideration. The mystery of it all was weighing heavily on her mind.

Coming out of her thoughts, Rin realized she had missed the sunrise due to her preoccupation. Rising to her feet, she started back the way she had come. As she walked, she picked fresh flowers to replace the wilting ones in her cottage. With pure strength of will. She cleared her mind with the logic that her intense interest in the white-garbed stranger was simply a sign that she had been alone for too long. Perhaps it was time for a trip into town.

She returned to the cottage to find her guest sitting up in bed. Flashing him a smile, she set about replacing the flowers and building up the fire. While the wood was catching, she walked to the man's side and flashed him a questioning look. He seemed to understand her expression even though he made no reply. It was only as she turned back to the fireplace that he spoke.

"I'll be leaving this afternoon."

A small spike of what almost felt like pain slashed through Rin's chest. Her steps slowed in response, leaving her at a complete stop halfway to her destination. It took a few seconds and a deep breath before she was able to move again. Looking over her shoulder, she gave him another warm smile and a nod of understanding. As if that was what he had been waiting for, he turned back to his former occupation of staring at the wall.

Making a quick retreat out the door, Rin came to a stop beside the water barrel that rested just next to the door. Leaning one hand against the rim, she tried to make sense of her feelings.

She had known he would be leaving and had guessed it would be soon. Not even an hour before, in the meadow, she had been thinking about it. There was no reason for his announcement to affect her so strongly . . .unless her other thought from the morning had been accurate as well. Maybe it had been too long since she'd been around other people. As much as she preferred her solitude, no one could spend all their time alone without losing a little something of themselves because of it.

It was settled then, she decided. It was time to make the trek to the village. It would be nice to see Larissa again, at any rate. The old woman was the closest thing she had to family and she had missed their conversations about plants and other things. A nice afternoon by her warm hearth was just what she needed to feel more like her old self.

Her smile resurrected, Rin dashed back into the cottage just long enough to push the large metal cauldron into the flames and grab her bucket. After that, she quickly completed several round trips between the fireplace and the water barrel, filling the former with the water from the latter. If she wanted to make it to Larissa's and back before nightfall, she'd have to set out as soon as possible. A quick wash and a few minutes to gather the prepared creams and other medicines she'd made and she'd be ready to start off.

That particular task completed, Rin moved right on to the next one. Crossing the room very close to the demon's side, she grabbed one of the blankets she had folded that morning. With a footstool and some maneuvering, she managed to get it over the thin rope she used for drying herbs. When she spread it out, it became an effective curtain, blocking her from view to the rest of the room.

She began bundling together the things she'd take with her while the water slowly heated. Stuffing a small satchel with jars and bags full of her blended remedies, Rin could hardly contain her excitement. Now that her course was set upon, she found waiting almost impossible to bear.

After what seemed like a ridiculously long time, the water finally began to boil. Cutting it with more cool from the barrel, she then gathered fresh clothes and pulled out a washcloth, towel, and bar of soap. Making sure she had his attention, she waved them at the occupant of her bed, hoping he got the hint and stayed where he was. She stepped behind the quilt and had a quick wash.

The outfit she changed into was the best one she owned, not that that was saying much. The tan skirt was of a thicker, sturdier material than her others, with no patches or badly mended tears. The shirt, a green so pale it was almost white, was simple in design but heavy with meaning. It had been her mother's, the same one she'd worn when she had married her father. Wearing it always made Rin feel like she was wrapped in her mother's arms once more, safe in a hug that would keep her protected for all time.

Sturdy walking shoes, the only pair she owned, completed the outfit. Once she tamed her hair into some semblance of order, she would look like any other village dwelling girl, which was exactly what she wanted. Aside from Larissa, she really wanted to attract the smallest amount of attention possible. Her goal was to go unnoticed during her visit, slipping in and out quickly.

Fully dressed, Rin stepped out from behind the curtain to find her guest also on his feet. His golden eyes looked her over from head to toe, seeming to take in even the smallest details of her appearance. His eyebrow dipped in what have been the smallest of frowns, but it smoothed out so quickly that she couldn't be sure.

Stepping past him, Rin tossed the dirty water and rinsed out the things she had used. She draped them over the surfaces close, but not too close, to the fire so they could dry. It was only when everything was in its place that she actively acknowledged the waiting demon. Tilting her head to the side in a questioning manner, she waited to see what he would say. He didn't keep her waiting for long.

"I'm going now."

She nodded and smiled brightly. He continued watching her for a long moment after his declaration. Rin thought he looked a little unsure, although she couldn't imagine why that would be. He seemed like the sort of person who would be anxious to return to his life. She was a little surprised he hadn't taken off already.

As though in response to her thoughts, he seemed to shake off whatever emotion had taken hold of him. With a slight nod of his head that could have been a thank you, he headed toward the door. Rin watched him disappear through it and heaved a sigh. What would probably be the most interesting encounter she would ever have had drawn to a close, and she hadn't even learned his name.

Rin allowed herself a few moments of gloom before she followed his example and set out on her way.

****

X

Sesshomaru walked at a regal pace, neither hurrying nor lagging behind. As he made his way away from the cottage, he took careful stock of himself. Aside from a light feeling of fatigue that he knew he would shake off quickly, there seemed to be no after effects from the poison. With the strength of the toxin he'd been hit with, he knew he had the girl to thank for his almost complete recovery. Whatever she had applied to the wounds had sped up the already accelerated healing process of his body.

He paused slightly as a faint sound reached his ears. Turning in order to scan the area, he realized that it was coming from the direction he had just come from, and was getting closer with each moment. As though his thoughts had brought her to life, the girl from the cottage slipped into view, skipping along the path with the satchel he'd seen her pack slung over one shoulder. He could hear her humming under her breath as she moved, some tuneless song that repeated itself over and over, becoming slightly different with each repetition.

Her attention was so focused on the plants lining the path that she was almost upon him before she noticed his presence. When she did see him, she reacted in the oddest way. The brilliant smile she'd insisted on directing at him so often before reappeared, accompanied by a jaunty wave that shook her entire body with its exuberance. Without an ounce of the fear or deference anyone else would have shown, she walked right up to his side, keeping pace with his steps.

He had noticed the difference in her attire back at the cottage, the most noticeable change the addition of shoes. Putting it together with the bag that she had packed and the small preparations she made to her living quarters, he had thought it pretty clear she was heading out on a trip. He just hadn't expected that trip to cross their paths once more.

Sesshomaru refrained from looking in direction more often than was strictly necessary. As the distance from the cottage grew and she continued on by his side, he began to wonder about her destination. Where was she going that had her looking so expectant and happy? Who would she see when she got there? What was the purpose behind her journey?

Just as he was reminding himself that he didn't care about any of those things, the girl slowed to a stop. When he looked in her direction, he noticed for the first time that they had come to a break in the path. With another wave, this one slightly less enthusiastic than the first, she turned down the small trail to the right. Her steps seemed a bit slower to him and the humming had stopped.

He waited until she was out of sight before continuing on his way. Sesshomaru deliberately increased his speed as he went, suddenly in a hurry to make it back to his home. The sooner he got out of the human laden area, the better. The creatures were simply too disturbing to be dealt with, their actions odd and irrational.

He made it halfway there before he turned back.

****

X

The group of men stumbling their way through the forest was small in number but big in both bravado and malevolence. The amount of drinking they had done prior to their current excursion had added to both of those states, making them even more of a threat than usual.

Unfortunately for her, that threat went unnoticed by the girl it was presently directed at. A few dozen feet ahead of the men, a slim figure in a brown skirt and pale green shirt skipped down the path, humming quietly to herself. A bulging bag was hanging over her shoulder, little more than shadowy lump in the fading light of dusk.

"Are you sure she's the one?" came a slightly slurred voice, its owner leaning against a tree trunk for balance. The answer to his question came in the form of a hearty nod from one of his companions that almost tipped the man over.

"I know what I saw. She came down the same path this morning, wearing the same clothes and with the same pack. It's the same girl; I'd swear to it."

"And you're certain there was a demon with her?"

"'Course I'm sure! D'ya think I don't know a demon when I see one? He was tall and dressed all in white. He walked different from a normal man, kind of floaty like. I knew right away what he was."

"Disgusting little tramp," the man at the front of the group muttered. He was as close to a leader as the party had, a position he had come by simply by being he loudest of them all. "As if it's not bad enough that we've all got some half breed demon bastard for a ruler, now there's one of our own kind sneaking around with another of 'em."

There was a snicker from a third man. "I wouldn't exactly call her one of our kind. Everyone knows that she's not quite right. What kind of person would choose to live alone in the middle of a forest like she does? It's not natural. No one knows where she came from and there's the way she sneaks in and out of town without hardly anyone seeing her. It's almost eerie."

"All the more reason that we take care of her," the leader said, starting forward once more. "Who knows what kind of evil plotting she could be doing with that devil. If we sit back and do nothing now, we'll have no one to blame but ourselves when she brings ruin down on all our heads." There were rumblings of agreement and the small crowd, now reaffirmed in their course of action, moved forward.


	3. Chapter 3

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Field of Innocence

By _Lady of the Ink  
_Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, but you knew that . . .I hope. But I do own this plot and all the twists that it takes.

****

X

X

Chapter Three

* * *

Rin hummed softly as she walked down the path, heading for her home. The sun was on the verge of setting, leaving the surrounding forest cool and shaded. The peacefulness of the trees was a welcome change from the crowded village streets that she had just left behind. One day in the noisy settlement was as much as she could take before she as longing for the quiet solitude of her secluded cottage. The few hours of companionship that she had spent with Larissa would satisfy her need for company for several months to come.

It had also served to fill a few other needs as well, as the bulging pack slung over her shoulder could attest to. There weren't many things that she couldn't forage or make for herself, but there were some things she did have to get from others. Her supplies of those items did have to be restocked from time to time. And, she thought with a smile as she patted the bag, there were some instances when you just had to spoil yourself a little.

She pictured the length of material that she had picked out, carefully bundled along wit the pattern that she would need in order to turn it into the first new skirt she'd have gotten in more than five years. Larissa had been as helpful as always, gathering all the materials and relaying the detailed instructions about the entire process. She had even helped her to pick out the exact right fabric for the project. A gentle warmth filled Rin as she thought of the almost grandmotherly affection that the older woman showed her. Thinking about it, they were each the closest thing that the other had to family.

Her steps slowed as she thought back to the sad circumstances that had brought them into each other's lives. Larissa had stumbled onto the then twelve-year-old Rin, injured and nearly dead from the elements and hunger. She had taken the girl home with her, feeding and nursing her through the illnesses that wracked her weak and battered body. It took more than two months, but she finally coaxed her patient back to pink cheeked health. Finding that her charge couldn't or wouldn't speak, she had turned to the few possessions that the child carried for answers. It hadn't given her much in the way of explanations, but it had netted her a name: Rin.

Rin had stayed with Larissa for several months after her recovery. She knew that the older woman would have liked for her to stay longer, but she just couldn't stand to remain so hemmed in by people and the walls that they built. The horrible memories of the weeks before Larissa still burned too brightly to allow her any sort of comfort in that environment.

Although obviously disappointed, Larissa had helped her to find the abandoned cottage nearby and restore it to livability. They had gathered all the things Rin would need to live there. She visited nearly everyday until she became assured of Rin's ability to take care of herself. She had no way of knowing that it was a task her young friend was long accustomed to.

The years and the effects of old age soon limited their time together to the two or three times a year when Rin would find her way into town. A frown found it's way onto Rin's gamine features as she thought back to just how much more frail her friend seemed this visit. She wished that Larissa would agree to keep a share of the money she got from selling the medicines that Rin made, but the old woman's pride wouldn't allow it. She insisted on keeping every bit of it for Rin to use during her infrequent shopping trips.

As the small cottage rose into sight, Rin decided to try another course of action during her next visit. Maybe she could buy some nice warm clothes, blankets, and a few other luxuries and have them delivered to Larissa after she had returned home. Then her friend would have no chance to refuse the gifts. Knowing her waste-not-want-not mentality, Rin was sure all the items would eventually be put into use, whether Larissa was entirely happy with it or not.

With that decision made, she entered the house in much lighter spirits. She was humming again as she built up the fire and lit enough candles to chase away the darkness of full night which had since fallen. She had slipped off her shoes was turning to lay her bag on the table when her eyes fell on the still mussed bed in the corner.

The song died in her throat as, just that quickly, all the memories she had managed to suppress through the day came rushing back into her mind. Once more, she was treated to the mental image if the remote and yet beautiful face of her guest as he lay unconscious. The picture quickly shifted to incorporate the blazing golden eyes that had become visible when he regained consciousness. The final scene that rose in her memory was the moment when he had stood before, tall, regal and dramatic.

Her heart fluttered in her chest and her hand drifted to press against the spot. She wasn't foolish enough to imagine that the reaction had anything to do with misplaced emotions such as romantic interest or attraction. She hadn't known him long enough or well enough for that. After much thought, given during the many occasions when he had returned to haunt her thoughts throughout the day, she had come to what she thought was a rational and reasonable explanation for her reaction to him.

It wasn't him that caused her unusual responses, she decided, but rather what he stood for. He was elegance and grace, exotic and exciting, the living embodiment of all the things her simple life lacked. Looking at him brought out all the hidden thoughts she had ever entertained about the world outside of that which she knew. It wasn't necessarily what she really wanted, but she couldn't help but think about what it would have been like if only . . .

Shaking off the thoughts, Rin sighed. She knew she shouldn't focus on someone or something she was unlikely to ever face again, but it was in her nature to wonder about things. She wondered what had brought the man to her meadow, who had hurt him and why. She wondered if the quality of his clothing meant that he was someone important. She wondered where he had gone after she left him in the forest. She wondered if he would even give her a second thought.

With a self-deprecating smile, she started to shake her head before pausing in mid-action. Her mind went back to something that Larissa had mentioned while relating the latest news. Something about a new half demon ruler somewhere nearby. She had only spoken of it in passing, more as an example of how quickly gossip was capable of spreading than as something worth bringing up on its own. Rin grew thoughtful. There was an excellent chance that his presence in the area had something to do with the new ruler. He might even be the ruler in question.

With a sudden burst of energy, Rin hurriedly straightened the bed, soon eliminating any evidence that anyone else had been inside her home. Getting rid of the mental reminders would not be so simple, she knew. Since his appearance was the most exciting thing to have happened to her in years, she would simply have to resign herself to being reminded of him at almost every turn for a while. Eventually it would fade from her mind, as most unrepeated things did.

She moved back to the table and started to unpack her bag, methodically putting the items in their proper places. Halfway through her task, she paused, certain that she had heard something out of the ordinary. Her head titled to the side as she listened intently. A long moment passed until, just before she could convince herself that she had imagined it, the noise came again. It was much clearer this time and she was able to identify it almost immediately as the sound of whispering voices.

Dropping the length of ribbon that she held, Rin scurried to the door. Long employed preservation instincts had her automatically walking only where her shadow wouldn't be seen through the window. Until she knew more about the intruders, she wanted to keep them from keeping track of her.

Using her body to block the light from the candles and fire, she slowly slid open a small, hidden slot in the door. She had painstakingly carved it out herself for use in just such a situation. It would allow her to get a look at anyone outside without their knowing it. Although it only granted her a minute advantage, she would take all the help that she could get.

Seconds stretched out until they felt like hours as she waited for her eyes to adjust to the darkness. A thin sheen of sweat rose to coat her skin and her breathing sounded impossibly loud to her ears. Her heart beat so loudly in her chest that she feared whoever lurked outside would be able to hear it. She swallowed harshly in an attempt to ease the rough dryness that had seized her throat.

Much more slowly than her tightened nerves would have liked, shapes began to appear through the shadows. Just to the left of where she stood was a group of milling forms, their movements helping to set them apart from the trees they stood amongst. Rin bit her lip as she counted at least five of them, maybe more.

Shutting the slot, she turned to brace her back against the door while questions raced through her mind. Who were the people gathered outside? What did they want from her? She had no illusions about theirs being a simple or friendly visit. People with good intentions didn't go sneaking around after dark. Whatever their purpose, Rin know that she had good reason to be worried.

There was no sense of satisfaction when her intuition was proved correct mere moments later. A loud banging shook the door against her back at the same time as an insistent voice rang out. "Open up, little girl! We wanna have a word with you." A round of agreement and other crude statements met his comment, but Rin barely heard them. She was focused entirely on that first speaker.

It was a man's voice; it's depth putting him at several decades older than her own nineteen years. There was something in the low growl that sent a tremor up her spine and goosebumps across her skin. It reminded her of another voice and other words spoken a lifetime ago, words and a voice that had taken everything away from her and changed her life forever.

Already tensed from the waiting, the similarities to her less than happy past sent Rin over the edge. Memories came flooding back into her mind, memories of things that she had hoped to never think of again. In her blind panic, she was once more the little girl saddled with a trauma she couldn't begin to bear. She dropped to the floor and crawled her way across the room on her hands and knees. Although she was breathing in rapid pants, little air seemed to be making its way through her tight throat. The edges of her vision grew hazy, fading into a cloud of white and gray. It was only an ingrained survival instinct that allowed her to make it to her destination.

The trunk at the foot of the bed was solidly made, its thick wooden construction making it quite heavy. It took all of her strength to shove it the inches she needed to slide past it and under the bed. Once there, she didn't bother to pull the trunk back into place. She just wrapped her arms around her knees and huddled into the smallest ball she could roll herself into. Her eyes were squeezed shut so tightly that she saw jumping flashes of light. Her entire consciousness swirled down to a world of sensations where the sounds from the room mixed with memories so vivid it was like she was living through them once more. They mixed together so thoroughly that she could no longer tell the past from the present._"I don't see anything. What now?"_

_"Break down the door. See if she's hiding in there."_

_"Grab them both and bring them to the square. Let everyone know what they are and the sins they have wrought!"_

_"It's empty. She must have slipped out another way."_

_"Rin, honey, I need you to run as fast and as far as you can. Don't look back and don't worry about me, okay?"_

_"Damn! I was set to teach the demon-loving brat a lesson about what happens to people who turn on their own kind."_

_"We still can. Burn this place to the ground. Show her there's no place for her here."_

_"May the flames rid you of the evils you bear. May you realize the error of your ways and ask forgiveness for all that you have done."_

_"Promise me, Rin. Promise me that you won't look back."_

_"Look at those flames! This place will go up in time."_

_"We'd better get out of here."_

_"Run!"_

It was the sound of whimpers that finally broke through the fog encircling her. They were low and pathetic, so mournful that they were more animal than human. It was only when she felt the rhythmic tightening of her throat that Rin finally realized the cries were coming from her.

The discovery was just startling enough to shake her out of her panic. Slowly uncurling herself from the fetal position, she fought to rein in the fear that was still rushing through her blood. It was only through sheer force of will that she began to drag herself from her hiding place. She focused all her attention on moving forward one painstaking inch at a time. Her eyes never left the space directly in front of her until she was back on her feet beside the bed. Moving as slowly as an old woman, she raised her head to make sure she was truly alone.

The cloud seemed to come back over her vision then, turning the room into a strange and unfamiliar place. She paused, blinking rapidly to try and clear it. That action had no effect and so she drew in a deep breath in an attempt to further calm herself. At least she tried to draw in a deep breath. The air seemed to scorch its way into her lungs, grating harshly through her already sore throat. She was gripped by a fit of coughing that left her doubled over and out of breath. When she finally managed to open her eyes and really look at what was happening around her, she gasped in shock and horror.

The room was filled with smoke that floated thick and heavy in front of her. Through its dimming mass, she could just make out the sight of flames climbing their way up the walls.

She froze for the space of a heartbeat. Smoke-caused tears poured down her cheeks but she didn't feel them. The heat of the flames pulsed against her, but she didn't feel that, either. All her focus was on the tendrils of orange, yellow, and red that danced hypnotically in front of her. It was so much like before . . .just like . . .

A piece of the cottage gave off a loud crack as it began to buckle. The noise was enough to jar Rin's mind back into working order. She had to get out, and she had to get out fast. As she took her first step toward the door, however, her leg slammed into the out of place trunk. She looked down at it dumbly, trying to figure out why some part of her mind was telling her it was so important.

Her blurry vision locked onto the flowery vines curling their way around the trunk's lid, the decoration more elegant for its simplicity. The tiny buds were carved with meticulous detail, just the way her mother had requested.

Rin's eyes flew open. Of course the trunk was important. It contained the few pieces she had left of her life before the cottage . . .the only things she had left of her family.

Stumbling forward through a wave of dizziness, she fumbled around on the table for the half empty bag that lay there. Clutching it tightly between her fingers, she rushed back to the trunk and jerked it open. She grabbed the first thing that her hand connected with, shoving it into the bag before going back for more. Although her movements were jerky, she managed to fill the bag with a speed born of mixed panic and determination.

Her task accomplished, she rose to her feet, intent on making her escape. Her abused body had other ideas as her knees buckled, sending her back to the floor with a thump. She pushed against the ground in a futile attempt to get back up, but her oxygen starved muscles refused to work. A sob broke from her throat as she realized that she was trapped. There would be no getting out now.

_I'm sorry, Mama. You tried so hard to help me be safe, but I screwed up. I should have known it would be fire . . .it's always been fire . . ._

The world began a slow spin, twirling and whirling until she could no longer tell up from down. She felt as light as air, as though her body had dissolved into the smoke and was floating through the room. She giggled to herself. She'd always wondered what it would be like to fly . . .


	4. Chapter 4

****

Field of Innocence

By _Lady of the Ink  
_Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, but you knew that . . .I hope. But I do own this plot and all the twists that it takes.

****

X

X

Chapter Four

* * *

Sesshomaru watched with an impassive face as the dark-haired human girl moved from his side and started down another path. She gave a jaunty wave as she vanished through the trees. He continued on his way without so much as a pause, but his mind remained on his recently departed companion. She was an oddity, he had decided. He had had enough experience with humans to learn the general habits of their kind. They were greedy, unthinking beats, unenlightened to the futility of their own existences. Dealing with them was a trial to him, a burden to be borne only because it was unavoidable.

The girl was different. She had offered help - unneeded to be sure- and seemed to want nothing in return. She hadn't bothered him overly with questions or even attention aside from her first, thorough inspection. It was as though she had fit him into her life mere moments after meeting him and found the ease that usually came with long periods of exposure. She didn't seem to fear him, as all smart creatures did, or look down on him, as others were wont to do when faced with beings far superior to them. It was almost as though she saw them as . . .equals.

Speeding up slightly, Sesshomaru scoffed at the idea. He was far more than she could ever aspire to be. She was an unknown human whose life barely registered to others, let alone impacted them in any way. He, on the other hand, was in charge of the lives of more people than she was ever likely to meet. His word was law, his presence imposing, his strength matched by few. He was in a position of power that was rivaled only by his father. It was unlikely that he would have even noticed the girl was alive had they met under different circumstances.

His mouth turned down into what could have been the faintest hint of a frown. The fact of the matter was that they had met under an unusual circumstance and that she had caught his attention. All that was left was for him to figure out why and how to undo the effect.

Sesshomaru had covered a dozen miles on land and a hundred more mentally before his progress with both was stopped. It wasn't because of a revelation that he halted in his tracks, but rather the appearance of a familiar stunted green figure. The visual was accompanied by a high-toned voice that seemed pitched to deliberately grate over nerves as it found its way to his ears.

"Lord Sesshomaru! I've finally found you!"

Jaken stumbled to a stop in front of him, his hands locked tightly on his staff as he looked upward adoringly. Sesshomaru spared his longtime retainer only the briefest of glances before turning his eyes to the surrounding trees. "What do you want?" he asked, his voice conveying his annoyance at being bothered.

The smaller demon seemed momentarily taken aback. "B-but everyone has been looking for you, my lord! You were expected back at the castle two days ago. We had assumed that you had remained longer than expected with your half brother - although why anyone would want to spend more time among those disgusting humans is beyond me. But yesterday a runner came from there, looking for you. We wouldn't have thought of bothering you just for that, but just this morning, your father sent a request to meet with you as soon as possible."

Sesshomaru remained still, sorting through all the reasons that both his father and half-breed brother might want to see him. Aside from the occasional meetings about large matters, all three of them preferred to go their own ways. For both of them to be looking for him, something big must have happened.

Having gotten no response, Jaken had continued his rambling monologue. He squawked to a stop as his own staff made contact with the top of his head with considerable force. Tears filled his large yellow eyes as he stared woefully up at his master. Sesshomaru, as he always did, ignored him, choosing instead to relay his just arrived upon plans.

"I shall meet with my father as soon as we return. What exactly was his message?"

"Y-your most honorable father has urgent business to discuss with you and asks for your presence as soon as possible."

Nodding coolly, Sesshomaru took a single step forward before Jaken's voice came once more. "Excuse me, my lord, but there's something that you should know. Lord Inutaisho has left for a visit to Inuyasha with his human wench. Unless you want to wait for his return, you'll have to see him there." He cringed after delivering the news, obviously expecting retribution for bringing ill tidings.

Under normal conditions, that was just what he would have gotten. However, Sesshomaru had just come to the conclusion that the circumstances were anything but normal at the moment. While returning to the human settlement would once have annoyed him to no end, now he accepted it with something close to calmness. His mind went immediately to the problem that it had been considering earlier and pointed out that the unexpected trip would offer another opportunity to resolve it.

The fact that that was the first thought to occur to him made his tone even colder than usual as he started issuing commands. "Return to the Western Lands and see to it that everything is in order for my return. I want to be able to take care of all the business at once." With that, he turned on his heel and headed back the way that he had come, easily ignoring the pitiful wails coming from behind him.

__

Later that night . . .

Night had begun to fall by the time Sesshomaru left Inutaisho behind. The older demon had only made it part of the way to his destination, having had to travel more slowly because of his human mate. He explained that she had wanted to look over the area that her son would be ruling over and so they were using the much slower and more troublesome human methods of travel. The trip that would have taken less than a day would now be stretched out to just under a week.

For once refraining from commenting on that, Sesshomaru had gotten straight to the point, asking why Inutaisho had wished to see him. His father had then relayed that the visit to Inuyasha was likely to be quite lengthy and there were several important tasks that would need to be accomplished in his absence. He charged his oldest son with seeing to them before problems arose.

That would have been the end of the conversation had Inutaisho not run into the demon that Inuyasha had sent looking for Sesshomaru. The runner had said something about an injured boy and a wounded demon exterminator and his involvement with one or other of them. Although the descriptions were on the vague side, there were enough details for Sesshomaru to deduce that the woman was the one who had ambushed him in the meadow.

It was an affront to his pride that a human had managed to lay him low, no matter how distracted he had been or how skilled that human might have been. It was just the sort of thing Inuyasha would have delighted in pointing out. In order to avoid that occurrence, Sesshomaru employed the use of one of the many guards required to safeguard his father's human mate. He relayed the general outline of what had occurred, leaving out the end results. It was an unavoidable formality; if he said nothing about it, Inuyasha was sure to blow it out of proportion. Although he knew he was far above his half-blooded brother, the hanyou had to be kept from allowing his arrogance to convince him otherwise. Using the scout would also preclude the need for him to revisit the human laden village.

Sesshomaru sidestepped a tree, his vision making the dark of night seem as clear as daylight to him. The hours between leaving Jaken and finding Inutaisho had given him time to think and he'd managed to come to a conclusion about the girl from the meadow. She was stuck in his mind because she didn't fit any of the ideas about her kind that he had held for most of his life. He needed to know if there was a facet to humans that he had overlooked, or if she were an anomaly. With Inuyasha's acquirement of the adjoining lands, dealings with humans would naturally increase. Any good leader would make sure to know as much as possible in light of such a change.

At least that was what he decided was his reason for returning. Never mind the fact that he had never cared enough for humans to bother studying them before. He'd merely done whatever was needed to accomplish his goal and any complaints didn't survive long in the face of his method of "handling" them. Never mind the other fact that any of the higher ranking men that he would be forced to deal with would not have achieved their positions by being anything other than the usual, ruthless fare he was accustomed to. It was a trip for a tactical advancement in knowledge, **not** because he felt he owed the strange and silent girl anything for her efforts on his behalf.

Further internal reasoning was halted when Sesshomaru found himself back at the last spot that he had seen the girl that morning. He paused for a moment as he sniffed the air, trying to pick up her scent. Her trail from earlier was the first thing that he was able to make out, making him wonder if she had yet to return from wherever it was that she had gone. Then the wind shifted and he caught the scent of her return along with other, more troublesome smells. There was the odor of a human drink, the unrefined alcoholic mix that made them act even more foolish than usual. It barely masked the rank scent of unwashed bodies . . .a number of them.

He was moving as soon as the last discovery registered in his mind. His steps quickened when the offending evidence of the group of men never veered off the same path he was following. It continued on, soon to be joined by the heavy, dank smell of smoke.

Sesshomaru was finally brought to a halt by the sight of leaping flames illuminating the surrounding forest. The source of the fire was directly in front of him; what had been the cottage was soon to be a pile of ash. As he watched, a pack of figures came walking around the corner, dividing their attention between the burning building and a loud conversation amongst themselves.

"It's too bad the wench got away, but she'll get the message when she comes back to this."

"Yeah, we don't want her kind around here, making _them_ think that they're welcome."

"We don't need those demons coming, taking over our land and thinking they can order us around."

"Well, at least we won't have to worry about her bringin' more of 'em around here. That one from this morning will be the last demon she'll cavort with here."

Sesshomaru was nothing if not astute. It only took a few seconds for him to piece together what the men were discussing. Someone had seen him with the girl that morning and taken offense at their supposed "association". Now, their indignation sated, they were leaving.

It was nothing that concerned him. He had come only to gather further observations on the girl. By what he had overheard, she had already run away and going after her would display a level of interest higher than he was willing to admit. It was time to walk away and forget that the encounter with the girl had ever happened.

It was a complete coincidence that his steps mirrored those of the men. He was simply taking the simplest route to get on his way. Since he was a far superior being to them, it was only natural that he gained on them quickly. And if he should decide to clear them from his path with a swipe of his hand, it would have nothing at all to do with the burning building behind him.

His fingers tightened just as the faintest of sounds reached his ears. It was quiet and well hidden among the crackling flames, but Sesshomaru was able to make out the wheezing cough. He slowed, listening as the sound came again. His golden eyes widened slightly as he realized the import of what he was hearing. The noise came from inside the cottage, meaning that the girl was still inside.

Rin could feel her throat and lungs burning with every painful inhalation of air. She knew she was dying and even come to a sort of acceptance about it. At least she would be able to see her family again. Her mother . . .her father . . .her brothers . . .

A dizzying sensation swamped her, making her feel as though she were being twirled through a current of water. A small smile crept over her mouth as she realized that it would all be over soon. She would soon reach a place where she would never have to be lonely or afraid again. Soon she would be safe and protected, surrounded by the people she had loved, trusted, and lost so long ago. She could almost feel their arms closing around her, drawing her away from the blistering heat into somewhere cool and refreshing. With a content sigh, Rin relaxed and gave herself to whatever was to come.


	5. Chapter 5

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Field of Innocence

By _Lady of the Ink  
_Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, but you knew that . . .I hope. But I do own this plot and all the twists that it takes.

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Chapter Five

* * *

The raging inferno that had formerly been a cottage had died down to little more than smoldering embers. The huge clouds of billowing black smoke had been replaced by softer, wispy gray tendrils that drifted slowly into the night sky. An occasional pop from the rubble was the only sound that disturbed the night's quiet, a far cry from the roar of the flames that had consumed the home and it's contents.

None of these changes were taken in by the motionless figure lying on the ground a few dozen feet away. Her eyes were closed, her dark lashed nearly indistinguishable as they rested against her soot covered cheeks. Her clothing was tinged gray by smoke, the edges singed black by the fames that had inched too close. The wheezing breaths that escaped her slightly parted lips completed the image of someone who had just escaped a dark fate.

The exact opposite could be said of the only other person in the small clearing. He was the picture of elegance amongst chaos. Not a single silver hair seemed to be out of place. Not a single wrinkle marred the length of his pristine white outfit. From the bland expression on his face and his easy stance, an observer might have thought him better suited to an upscale parlor rather than the scene of such destruction.

Sesshomaru stared down at the girl at his feet. She had remained silent and unmoving since he had carried her from the building. The only change had come when they had stepped into the cool night air and a smile had unaccountably stretched her lips. It was just one more thing in a long line of things about her that evaded his understanding.

A corner of his mouth turned down as he mentally reviewed what had just happened. Almost immediately after he had realized that the girl was still inside the burning cottage, he had found himself heading toward it. With no real reason why he should, he had been unable to stop himself from saving her. Now that the deed was done, he had gained nothing but more questions where she was concerned. Sesshomaru was a being that preferred answers to questions, and so he was annoyed by the turn of events. Answers aided in accomplishing goals; questions merely distracted from them.

The wind picked up slightly as he sorted through the troubles that she had managed to bring upon him during their short acquaintance. It had been her strange habits that had distracted him and allowed the female huntress to catch him in a moment of inattention in the meadow. She had then interfered in his business and completely ignored the boundaries of space that even others of her kind had the sense to observe. Her actions had been beyond understandable, forcing him to ponder them in search of a conclusion about her. But worst of all, she had caused him to deviate from his own long embraced customs.'

His eyes flickered to the destruction across the clearing. It was where the final act of awakening him to the true depth of his problem had occurred. Even as he had stepped through the flames, he had known that there was something wrong about what he was doing.

Taking action to aid another was something done when there was a direct benefit to his own cause to be gained. Even then, he had always felt a level of disgust for the one who was unable to take care of their own obligations. If you were too weak to survive against your enemies, then it was only fitting that those stronger than you would eliminate you. It was better to die bravely and be avenged then to depend upon another for your safety.

The human girl was, by nature of her very species and sex, almost completely defenseless. Even the small obligation that he might have felt towards her - but didn't - should not have made him go against his core belief that only the strong deserved to survive. The people responsible for putting her in danger had been right at hand. It would have been just as easy and much more his style to destroy them and be on his way. His "obligation" would have been repaid and he would have enjoyed the added bonus of being rid of the person responsible for throwing off his routines.

Sesshomaru looked towards the path that led back towards the Western Lands. No matter why he had done it, the actions he had taken had saved the girl's life. That more than made up for the small gestures she had made towards him and so he no longer owed her anything. The only other benefit of staying in her company was gaining insight into her abnormal mind, and that was far outweighed by the adverse affect she seemed to have on him.

Never one to remain in an unfavorable and useless situation, Sesshomaru knew that it was time for him to walk away. Staying now would show an unfounded level of interest that he _did not_ feel. From then on, the strange girl was on her own.

* * *

Rin awoke suddenly to a feet of coughing so severe that she felt it throughout her entire body. Her throat burned as the air rushed in and out of the already sore area. Tears leaked from her stinging eyes and her chest throbbed like it was being tightened sharply in a vice.

When the coughing finally stopped, she laid still with her eyes closed while the world tipped and swung around her. Her stomach lurched and she fought down a wave of nausea. It seemed like an eternity had passed before she managed to calm her queasiness and even out her breathing. Swallowing hard and wincing at the discomfort it caused, she finally opened her eyes.

Darkest velvet night dotted with sparkling stars filled her vision. She frowned slightly, having expected the usual view of the rafter over her bed. Feeling off balance and confused, Rin tried to figure out what was going on. There was a fuzzy sensation in her head and a weighted feeling throughout her body that reminded her of the illness she had had that past winter. The coughing would be explained if she had come down with the same sort of thing again, but it did nothing to clear up why she was outside.

Her muscles protesting the action, Rin pulled herself into a sitting position. It too a minute for her to adjust to the new angle and when she did, she was met with a wrenching sight. The cozy little cottage that she had called home for the past seven years was gone. In its place sat a charred pile of debris. A few large beams stretched toward the sky, their scorched remains looking like bony fingers growing from the ground. The muted orange glow of embers half hidden by ash caught her eye. The sight unleashed a rush of memories through her brain. She remembered the voices from the darkness, the surge of memories that she had been unable to repress. Her mind replayed what had happened as she hid beneath the bed and after she'd crawled out from under it. She relived grabbing the bag and trying to save the few things she had left of her family before she'd collapsed and everything had gone black.

Her eyes pulled away from the scene of destruction and dropped to her lap, filling with tears in the process. With a detached sort of interest, she noted that the strap of the bag was still looped about her wrist tightly enough to leave red welts. Her gaze drifted, taking in the singed spots on the backs of her hands. It was proof positive that she had been inside the building as it burned, a helpless victim for the devouring force. So how was it that she had come to be outside and alive?

It was more of a feeling than anything she heard that had her looking up at that moment. A strange sense of hesitation and uncertainty slowed the process, as though a part of her knew what she would see and wanted to be sure she was ready for it.

He drifted into sight like a half formed ghost. The pale smoke wafting about his tall form was like a shroud, the same color as his hair and clothing, making it hard to tell where one began and the other ended. More than just the visual effect, there was a sort of force the seemed to surround him as he approached on silent feet. It was as though the air itself moved out of his path before swirling upward to vanish.

Rin had a hard time believing what she was seeing. She had never been treated to an image so ephemeral and yet majestic as what was before her. For a split second she wondered is perhaps she hadn't died after all and he had come to take her to the next life. It was only fitting that Death take a form such as he, familiar and unknown all at the same time.

Still momentarily caught in that mindset, she watched him approach with no trepidation but a small bit of curiosity. When he came to a stop several feet in front of her, she craned her neck to get a look at his face. The moment that her eyes locked with his, Rin knew that he was no apparition of Death; the unknown demon from the meadow really had returned to stand before her once more.

A shudder wracked her body as the brunt of what had occurred began to sink in. Tears slid down her cheeks as her lower lip started to tremble uncontrollably. She finally tore her gaze from the golden-eyed one above her, collapsing into herself with her arms wrapped tightly around her own body. Loud gulping sobs broke from her throat, a gesture of pain, sadness, and relief all at once.

It must have been quite some time before her tears stopped because dawn had begun to break when she next lifted her head. It's gentle shade made the destruction of her home seem even more traumatizing for its clarity. She faced it bravely, though, just as she had every other tragedy that had befallen her throughout her young life.

Swiping at her cheeks with the cleanest section of her sleeve that she could find, Rin set about doing what she could to tidy her appearance. She tucked her hair behind her ears and brushed as much soot from her clothing as she could. It was only after all this was accomplished that she finally dared to look at the silent person in front of her.

All through her emotional breakdown, he had remained quiet and unmoving. He hadn't bothered to offer comfort or compassion, not that she had expected or even wanted him to. But the fact that he hadn't walked away had done just as well. Even without him taking any action, just knowing that there was someone else there had been one of the things that helped her pull herself together relatively quickly. If she'd been alone, the tears might have gone on and on.

Now that the worst of her distress had passed, Rin found herself questioning his presence. It seemed likely that he had been the one who had saved her from the burning building, since there was no one else around who might have done it. While she didn't want to seem ungrateful, she couldn't think of a possible reason for his return. He had said that he was leaving and she had assumed that that was the last time that she would ever see him. Finding out that he had come back was odd enough to raise her interest in itself and the timing just made it seem more urgent.

Stop it, she chided herself. The answers, if they were going to come, would do so in their own time. Getting worked up over it would accomplish nothing. Besides that, in the end it didn't really matter why he had come back. All that mattered was that he _had_ come back and just in time to save her life. She should just focus on that and go from there.

Looking pointedly at what was left of her house, she then turned to him and offered a slightly wobbly smile, hoping he would get the message. His facial expression didn't change but it seemed to her that his chin raised the smallest little bit. She took it as a sign that he had understood. That was the only movement from either of them for a long stretch of time. Rin remained sitting on the ground, plucking at a frayed edge at the hem of her skirt. Her guest stood as he had been, his gazed constantly skimming the entire area without lighting on anything for more than a second.

As the silence grew, Rin chewed on her lower lip and tried to figure out what she was going to do. She would have to wait until the rubble had cooled before seeing if there was anything to salvage. Then it would be time to find another place to live. While she was sure Larissa would love having her stay for however long she wanted, Rin knew she wouldn't feel comfortable there. Her usual unease was nothing compared to the thought of getting close to the men who had burned down her house. Even though they hadn't met to hurt her, what they had meant to do was bad enough. They had taken not only nearly everything she had in the world, but also the small wall of security that she had managed to build up through the past years.

Her hands started to tremble as she really accepted that she was back where she had started from right after her mother's death. At least she had more knowledge and a bit of money from selling her medicines, she thought, trying to buoy her spirits. It would be enough to give her some time to decide exactly where to go. It would be difficult to find somewhere where she could have privacy but be near enough to a town to get what supplies she would occasionally need. But surely such a place would exist . . .somewhere. What could have been the sound of a throat being cleared pulled her out of her thoughts. Startled, she looked at the demon, who had finally decided to focus on one thing. She only wished that it had been something other than her soot and tearstained face. It was all she could do to hold his sharp gaze when he began to speak.

"This Sesshomaru has finished handling all business in this area, and will be returning home now."

Rin waited for him to walk away the moment the words were out of his mouth, but it seemed to her that he paused for the space of several heartbeats. When he finally turned on his heel and started to walk, it was with a slower step than he had arrived with.

Her mind raced. Had there been an extra infliction to the words he had just spoken? Or was it all in her head? Why had he told her that in the first place? Was it possible that he meant something other than just relating information by them?

Rin's mind raced. She planned to leave this area behind sooner or later, and it would be nice to have something like a guard for as much of the journey as possible. It would be dangerous for a girl on her own to travel, even if she kept to the less populated trails. Her gaze flew to the smoking remains of the cottage. It was very unlikely that there would be anything much left even if she waited till the whole mess cooled enough for her to search through, so it made little sense to stick around only for that. Larissa wouldn't be expecting to see her for some time and unless word of the cottage burning got out, the old woman would have no reason to be worried. She could always find a way to send word once she found a new place to live.

It all came down to Sesshomaru, she thought, secretly pleased to finally have a name to go with the face. He was giving the impression that he wouldn't mind her tagging along, but could she really be sure that that was what he meant? What if she was reading more into his actions than was actually there?

While her thoughts were whirling, Sesshomaru had continued walking. Just as he was about to vanish from sight, he paused, tossing a quick look over his shoulder. The actions, when coupled together with everything else, told Rin what she needed to know. Scrambling to her feet, she began to follow.


	6. Chapter 6

**Field of Innocence  
By** _Lady of the Ink  
_**Disclaimer:** I don't own Inuyasha, but you knew that . . .I hope. But I do own this plot and all the twists that it takes.

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Chapter Six

* * *

They walked as the sun rose to its highest place in the sky and they were still walking as it began its descent. Rin was used to long treks as she made them all the time while she gathered her herbs. Even so, the smoke that had gotten into her lungs and the trauma of losing a good chunk of her life took their toll. By the middle of the afternoon she was panting for breath and stumbling more then walking. She had to focus her eyes on the ground to keep her heavy feet from tripping over random rocks and sticks in her way.

Due to her fierce concentration on the path, Rin noticed almost too late that her "guide" had stopped walking. She only just managed to sidestep in time to avoid slamming into his back. The sudden stop coupled with her weariness caused her to sway for a moment. By time she regained her balance and caught sight of Sesshomaru once more, her had moved a small distance away and taken a seat on an upraised root. He seemed perfectly relaxed, as though he were planning to stay there for a while.

Never one to let an opportunity pass her by, Rin immediately seized the chance to see to her personal needs. Not far from where they had stopped, she could hear the sound of running water. Hunting down the source, she found a quick moving stream. It was small but more than sufficient for what she wanted it for. Dropping to her knees on the bank, she got her first look at herself in the reflective surface and winced.

Dark smears of ash covered her face from the top of her forehead to the bottom of her chin. The tears that she had shed had made tracks down her cheeks. The path they had taken the only clear areas of skin left. Her eyes were red and still swollen from the stinging smoke and all the crying. Her hair was a tangled, tousled mess, hanging sloppily over her shoulders and falling into her face. It was a wonder that Sesshomaru, ever immaculate in appearance, hadn't taken one look at her and walked away.

Filling her hands with the cool, clear water, she began splashing it onto her face. She scrubbed with her fingers until she felt that she had gotten off as much of the grime as she could. Next she did the same with her hands, bracing herself for the sting as she encountered the scattered burns. Her hair was the next problem that she tackled. She didn't have a comb or a bucket, so she did the best that she could with her hands. Leaning forward until the long, dark strands were submerged, she worked the dirt out with her fingertips. Straightening, she wrung as much of the water out as possible before tossing the sodden mass over her shoulder. Finger combing didn't offer much in the way of styling, but it did help keep her hair a bit more under control.

Knowing what she would have to do next, she took a deep breath in preparation. As ready she was ever likely to be, Rin turned to the bag that she had left slightly back from the bank. Pulling it to her, she slowly it opened it and began to take stock of all the belongings she had left in the world.

The first thing that she pulled out was a battered and worn rag doll. It had been her constant companion when she was little, the best friend that knew all of her secrets. It was one of the few personal items that she had carried with her through all her homes. She remembered clutching it tightly during her stay with Larissa and still sleeping with it the first few weeks on her own in her cottage. She had kept the doll much longer than most girls usually did, tucking it away only a few years prior. It had been an item of security and comfort, the last piece of her childhood.

Laying it gently aside with a final brush across its cheek, she reached for the next item. The handful of fabric turned out to be one of her oldest brother's shirts. She knew it was his because he had been particularly fond of the color blue, and so all shirts in that shade had gone to him. Beneath it were a few more articles of clothing belonging to other family members: a belt of her father's, several of her mother's skirts, and another brother's old trousers.

The last thing before the supplies that she had bought in town was a small box made out of beautiful dark wood. Upon seeing it, Rin gave an exclamation of pure joy. Of all the things that had been in the house, this was the one memento she would have hated to lose the most. It had been carved by her father in the same flower and vine pattern as the trunk that had rested at the foot of her bed. The design has always been her mother's favorite and so her father had included it on many of the pieces that had filled their small but cozy home. The box in her hands had been a present to her mother when Rin herself had been too young to remember. It had quickly turned into a sort of memory box, holding locks of hair from each of the kids and some of the trinkets from her parents' courtship.

She smoothed her hands over the blossoms that graced each corner of the lid. There was no belonging that made her feel as close to those she'd lost than it did. Just holding it bought her a strong sense of comfort; she hadn't even opened it since her mother's death.

Setting it aside, Rin smiled warmly to herself. It was with a lighter heart that she finished going through the bag. Sorting through the clothing that it had contained, she managed to piece together a workable outfit. Shedding the old one, she pulled the new one into place. She had to roll the sleeves of her brother's shirt up several times before they rested at her wrists instead of draping over her hands. Her mother's skirt was a better fit, although a little loose around her waist.

Her first urge was to wash out the clothes that she had been wearing but logic stopped her. She doubted that the stop would last long enough for all the things to dry and the musty smell that they'd get from being shut away wet would be even worse than the smoky smell they currently had. She settled for shaking them out, hoping the airing out would do them at least some good.

Her hair, now moderately dry, received a bit more attention before she gathered up her things and place them back into the bag. After looking around to make sure that she hadn't left anything behind, Rin started back to the spot where she had left Sesshomaru.

It was only as she ducked around a particularly thick patch of bushes that she wondered for the first time if her would still be there. After all, he owed her nothing and so her could leave her whenever he wanted to. Just because she read something into his actions didn't mean that there was actually something there. He had already done more for her than she could ever hope to repay by saving her life. Every other gesture that he offered just increased her debt to him. It would be wrong of her to expect anything more or be upset when it didn't come.

As ready as she was to accept his absence upon her return, Rin couldn't help the immense surge of relief that she felt when she returned to find him in the exact position she had left him in. It looked as though he hadn't moved a single inch while she was gone. The happiness that that thought brought transformed itself into a huge smile that she couldn't suppress. She quickened her step, practically skipping her way into the makeshift camp. Sesshomaru didn't spare her a single glance as she past him, his eyes remaining intent on the tree line.

When she reached the center of the clearing, she paused to see if he would make a move. She had no idea what kind of timeline that he might be operating on and so she wasn't sure how soon he would want to continue. They had gone at a very brisk pace throughout the morning, but that was just as likely to be because of his inhuman stamina as it was a need to be somewhere at a specific time. By the way he remained still under her questioning observation, she thought it was safe to assume it was for the former reason rather than the latter.

Finding a soft patch of ground, Rin sank to her knees and began rooting through her bag once more. Now that she knew she would have a little bit of time, she decided she should see to her grumbling stomach. In the supplies that she had bought in town the previous day were some simple food items. Combined with the more fancy gifts from Larissa, she knew she'd have enough to make several filling meals. If she could find some berries and the like on the trip to add in, it would last even longer.

She felt a little rude eating when Sesshomaru was sitting less than ten feet away, but she had learned her lesson from the last time. He had made it quite clear that he didn't eat the same kind of food as she did. Even do, she got through the bread and cheese more quickly than usual due to the unreasonable guilt she felt from not sharing.

After brushing the crumbs from her clothing, she found herself with nothing to do. Her eyes drifted around the area, absently identifying all the plants useful for making medicines. She wondered about picking them but decided against it. Even though she had the time and she would need to stockpile them sooner or later if she planned to support herself, she didn't have any way to carry them without damaging them. The fact that many of the kinds she was seeing needed special care right after being picked was also a factor. She had no idea how long it would be before she had a place that had all the things she would need to prepare the herbs.

Rin turned her gaze back to her unmoving companion. She had no way of knowing what he was thinking at any time; his emotionless façade seemed impenetrable. It hadn't bothered her before, back when he was just a temporary feature in her life. But now that she was depending on him for just about everything, the lack of incoming information was quick becoming less of an irritation and more of a severe handicap. She needed to start giving her future some serious thought, but she couldn't do that until she knew a bit more about Sesshomaru's intentions. How far was he planning on going and how long would her let her tag along? Did he have an idea of where she might find a permanent place to live or was the task fully her responsibility?

She huffed a little to herself. Even after the small amount of time that she had spent in his company, she knew that he wasn't the excessively talkative type. He would say only what he thought was necessary to be said and nothing else. Unfortunately for her, her situation hadn't been one of those topics to come up. He hadn't even said outright that he wanted her to come along with him, using subtle hints and actions instead. Her guess was that he was the type who needed to be asked something directly in order for there to be even the smallest chance of getting a straight answer.

And therein lay her problem. How was she supposed to ask him anything about anything? She didn't have something to write a note with and even if she did, she just couldn't imagine walking up to him and handing him one. He seemed more like someone who would have someone read their missives to them rather than lower himself to read them on his own.

She squinted slightly as she looked at him out of the corner of her eye. It wasn't hard to imagine him in such a position. His regal air seemed to scream that he had been born to be served. But at the same time, he seemed more than capable of taking care of himself. He was a mass of contradictions, really: independent, but used to having others see to the more trivial facets of his life, seemingly cold but capable of showing his own type of kindness, as he had with her. She could only wonder which side of him was truer.

Her mind switched back to her own problem, no closer to finding a solution. She had questions that she needed answered but no way to ask them. Short of sitting herself in front of him until he either starting talking or left her behind in disgust, Rin didn't know what else to do.

She sighed sadly, idly picking up a leaf from the ground and running it through her fingers. It was an uncomfortable sensation to deal with, feeling as though she had no control over her own life for the moment. She couldn't even console herself with the most basic idea for what she was going to do once this journey came to an end. It was like being trapped in limbo, an unsettling state she knew she wouldn't be able to handle for very long.

Dropping the leaf, she started to chew on her lower lip, a habit she had had since she was a little girl. Finally drawing in a deep breath, she rose to her feet and made her way across the clearing. Standing directly in front of Sesshomaru, she waited until he deigned to give her his full attention. When his golden eyes met her own determined brown ones, Rin opened her mouth and did what she had to do.


	7. Chapter 7

**Field of Innocence  
By** _Lady of the Ink  
_**Disclaimer:** I don't own Inuyasha, but you knew that . . .I hope. But I do own this plot and all the twists that it takes.

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Chapter Seven

* * *

Rin stood in front of Sesshomaru, staring down into his golden eyes as she opened her mouth. She took a deep breath and pursed her lips slightly as she asked, "Where are we going?"

One of his eyebrows lifted slightly and told Rin that, as hard as she had tried, no sound left her lips. She couldn't help but slump in the same dejection that she always felt when she tried and couldn't manage to speak. It was why she had given up trying; the failures always stayed with her, dimming her mood for days afterward.

She sighed sadly, closing her eyes briefly. She didn't know why she'd though that this time would be any different. Just because she wanted it to happen so badly in order to get answers didn't mean anything. She had wanted to speak just as badly on several other occasions and the words hadn't come then either. Not a single syllable had crossed her lips since the day that her mother had died, nearly a decade before.

When Rin opened her eyes, she found that Sesshomaru's raised eyebrow had turned into a full blown (for him, anyway) expression of curiosity. She had to have seemed like an idiot to him, standing in front of him with her mouth flapping open and closed like some kind of fish while no sound came out. A wave of heat crawled up her neck and she knew that she was blushing a brilliant shade of red. It took everything in her to ignore her first instinct to crawl away in embarrassment, but she did. Her hands trembled with the force of will she had to exert over herself to remain in front of him and try again.

Licking her lips, Rin slowly mouthed the question again, carefully exaggerating each word in the hopes that it would make them easier to understand. Sesshomaru didn't seem like the type who would enjoy guessing games and so she didn't want to risk annoying him by dragging out the session. She mentally crossed her fingers as he seemed to lose himself in thought for a moment. Her nerves seemed to tighten more with every breath she took as she waited.

Just as she was about to collapse with the pressure of suspense, his eyes refocused on her face. Even then, he didn't speak right away, looking to Rin like he was debating with himself whether or not she was worth the trouble of explaining things to her. The answer must have been yes because she was soon treated to the low, cultured sound of his voice once more.

"At this pace, getting to the Western Lands will take another four days. Two days from here is the last human settlement before then." Apparently thinking that that was explanation enough, he returned his attention to their surroundings, effectively dismissing her at the same time. Rin was more than satisfied with the two-sentence answer since it had told her all that she needed to know at the moment. She also got the feeling that getting even that much out of him was something to be grateful for.

Nodding to show that she was understood, Rin started back to where she had left her bag. She was halfway there when the swish of silk told her that Sesshomaru had risen to his feet. She wasn't surprised that he had started to walk again by the time she turned around. Grabbing the strap of her bag, Rin hurried to catch up with him.

The rest of the day passed quickly and silently. Rin gathered handfuls of berries to eat as she walked since Sesshomaru showed no signs of taking another break before dark. The juiciness of the fruit slaked her thirst and so she was content enough to keep moving. Now that she had an idea of what her future held, she was filled with a mixture of anxiety and what might have been excitement, both of which would have made it difficult for her to sit still even if she had that option.

Just after nightfall, he found another clearing by what might have been part of the same stream from earlier that day. Fumbling in the darkness, Rin managed to rinse out the smoke-scented clothing and spread it out to dry across some branches before settling down for the night herself. She had half expected to suffer from nightmares of what she had been through but she slept soundly until just before dawn. She wasn't sure if it was pure exhaustion from the long walk, the strong sense of safety she felt from having Sesshomaru nearby, or a bit of both.

Upon waking, Rin had time to gather her now dry clothes but not enough time to even think about putting them on. She had to stuff them in her bag on the run to keep the already moving Sesshomaru in sight as he set off.

The day passed just as quickly as the one before it had. With only three stops before finding a place for the night, Rin had a lot of time for observing and thinking. Since he was by far the most interesting thing around, Sesshomaru was the most obvious target for that focus. She saw that he walked with a long, even stride that was so smooth that he seemed almost to float. It was also clear that he would have been able to move much faster than the pace he was currently setting if he had been alone. Even without his having to say it, Rin knew that he was holding back a considerable amount of energy on her behalf.

She also noticed that he kept his steps just fast enough that she was always a few steps behind. She didn't mind; it was the same amount of distance that she herself would have left had it been up to her. There was just something about him that clearly stated he was meant to lead.

The few times that he vanished from her sight, there had been a clear path for her to follow and he had always reappeared before the going got too tough for her to handle. It showed some consideration on his part that was just another confusing piece of the highly complex puzzle that made him up.

It was midmorning on their third day of travel when they came close to a town for the first time. By the way that he paused while looking over the settlement, Rin know that this was the place that Sesshomaru had spoken of. It was time to say goodbye.

Unable to express her thanks in any other way, Rin had to settle for giving him the brightest, warmest smile that she could manage. She wished that she could tell him everything that was going through her mind: her gratitude for his saving her life, for helping her find a place away from the charred memories and the people who had caused them. She thought of all the questions that might never be answered, the biggest of which was why he had done all that he had for her.

Before she could find a way to get any of those things across, Sesshomaru had turned and continued walking. It was clear from the way that he didn't say a word to her and his nearly tripled speed that she wasn't meant to follow. This was obviously where they were going to part ways.

Rin fought down the tinge of emotion that streaked through her chest at the thought that this really was goodbye. Even though she had known that it was coming, she still couldn't help but feel a strong sense of loss at his departure. Although the actual amount of time that they had spent together was small, the events that had happened in that span were not. They were some of the biggest changes in her lifetime, and he was not only involved with them but had also caused some of them. There was a connection there that she knew she'd have a hard time forgetting.

She only allowed herself a few minutes of regret before refocusing her attention on the town that lie before her. It wasn't yet lunchtime but Rin knew that she didn't have a lot of time to waste. Without being able to talk, she was going to have a hard time finding out what she needed to know. At the very least, she had to find a place to stay temporarily until she could something more permanent.

With a sigh that was only a little shaky, Rin started forward. After making her way to the town, she walked slowly through the streets, her shoulders slightly slumped with the weight of her situation. Being in such a crowded place with so many people that she didn't know made her feel very self-conscious. As used to her solitude as she was, the task that she was about to face was almost more frightening than the fire had been.

It was all that she could do to keep herself from turning around and heading back to the quiet of the woods. What stopped her was the knowledge that Sesshomaru had gone out of his way to give her this chance. Running away before even trying would have been an insult to that gesture.

Rin soon found her way into what seemed like the town square. There were many businesses bunched together and more people milling around than there had been elsewhere. This would be the best place to come looking for a job, she knew, since there was sure to be someone looking for help out of all the establishments. However, she didn't think that that was a trial she was up to tackling just yet. For the moment, she would be happy just to find a place to stay for the night. There would be time enough in the morning to worry about a job.

As she walked through the area, the strangest thing began to happen. Somehow, her mind would form a picture of what was ahead before her eyes could see it. She guessed the location of the blacksmith, the baker, and even several of the more elegant homes that the town boasted. A few times she felt as though what she was looking at was _wrong_ somehow, as though another building should have been in the place that she was seeing.

While such a thing happening once or twice would have been an amusing coincidence, the continuous streak began to make her feel unsettled. A feeling of queasiness grew in the pit of her stomach as she continued on and a headache began to form behind her eyes. She had to take several deep breaths to fight off the feelings, but the uneasiness remained.

The only logical thing that she could think of was that she had once been in this town before a long time ago. She remembered certain things as they had been then, some of which had since changed. It seemed to make sense, but the aura of discomfort didn't ease at the explanation. If she had been here before, the experience mustn't have been a pleasant one.

She had wandered through most of the town by then and felt like she needed a rest. Drawing on the inexplicable memories, she headed towards where she thought there might be a boarding house of sorts. She kept her eyes locked on the ground as she went, wanting to avoid any more of the strange feelings. All she wanted was to find a room with a nice, warm bed and sink into it for a long nap. Hopefully things would clearer after a good, long rest.

Given the circumstances and her intense concentration on the road in front of her, it was no wonder that Rin never noticed the startled gaze of one of the people that she passed. She also failed to notice the way that his eyes narrowed as he pushed away from the wall he was leaning against and began to follow her through the town.


	8. Chapter 8

**Field of Innocence  
By** _Lady of the Ink  
_**Disclaimer:** I don't own Inuyasha, but you knew that . . .I hope. But I do own this plot and all the twists that it takes.

****

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Chapter Eight

* * *

In the five minutes that had passed since he had left the human girl on the edge of the village, Sesshomaru had already covered more ground than he had in the previous three days combined. Without the girl to slow him down, he made it to the border of the Western Lands in very little time. If he had so desired, he could have made it back to his home with enough time to deal with all the business that had piled up during his absence before nightfall.

But that wasn't what he did. He made a slight detour to the holdings of one of the lesser demon lords who were privileged to live under the protection of his family's name. The youkai was beneath his notice - he had never made it a point to even learn his name - but on this one occasion, he could be of some use.

Even though this meeting was of his own making, Sesshomaru had several reasons for wanting to get it over with as quickly as possible. He was pleased when the lord in question made a fast appearance in front of him. With his most aloof expression firmly in place, Sesshomaru cut into the rambling welcome. In clear words, he outlined a plan of action and made it plain that it was to be carried out to the letter. His tone brooked no argument and left no room for disobedience. If the demon knew his place, and from his groveling, he did, everything would be taken care of carefully.

By the time that he got back on his way, he was completely confident that his demands would be accomplished with the utmost haste and attention to detail. He found no satisfaction in that knowledge, however. All he felt was a vague sort of disgust with himself for what he had just done. It was wholly out of character for him and yet he had been unable to stop himself from doing it. It was almost as though he had needed to do it for his own peace of mind, to know that the girl he had left behind was adequately taken care of in her new location.

Sesshomaru frowned in distaste at his own thoughts. That certainly couldn't be it, he was sure. It was simply a matter of honor. Even if she was beneath him, he had been involved in what had befallen that girl. Ensuring her welfare was merely a reaction to his ingrained sense of responsibility. The fact that he had never before shown such consideration to a lowly human before was just a sign that his father's penchants were rubbing off on him. In fact, the entire ordeal could likely be credited to the older demon. It wasn't that he himself was changing or that the girl had any undue influence on his actions; it was that he'd been spending too much time of late with Inutaisho, who had never ceased in his attempts to convert his eldest son to his way of thinking.

The cloud of unease that had been weighing on him since the first of his many breaches of his own code of conduct began to lift. The odd string of events that had been happening to him since leaving the Western Lands obviously had very little to do with him. It was just that he had been spending too much time with others too unlike him in their choice of companions. First it had been his father and his human mate, always talking about how demons and humans needed to coexist by seeing each other as equals. He had been glad of the chance to leave them behind, even if it was only to visit his worthless half brother in his new human infested home.

After the extended exposure to such creatures, it was no wonder that he was feeling out of sorts. All he needed was some time to himself to readjust and he knew that he'd soon be back to his usual self. Perhaps this was the perfect opportunity to trek the borders once more. The journey could last for months if he wanted it to, giving him as much time as he felt he'd need to clear his head.

That plan of action laid out firmly in his mind, Sesshomaru found himself feeling more relaxed than he had in days. Finally things would get back to normal and with a little luck, he would never have to so much as think about that one particular human again.

The boarding house was exactly where Rin had thought it would be, a stroke of luck for which she was grateful. It was followed by another lucky break, this one even more convenient. The old woman who apparently ran the house was the friendly, talkative type. She started speaking the moment that she saw she had a guest and paused only long enough to take breaths between sentences. Since it was all done with a smile, her attitude was more endearing than annoying.

Rin was more than relieved at the woman's outgoing personality. She had been dreading having to expose her inability to speak because of the vulnerability that the revelation would bring upon her. The fact that she managed to secure herself a room and make it through the rest of the night using only smiles and nods and shakes of her head helped her to feel slightly more at ease. There was a sense of comfort even as she sat through dinner with the group of other boarders.

It was still early when she retired to her room, but the journey and stress had left her feeling worn out. Taking time only to remove her shoes, she climbed into the narrow bed. Her eyes drifted closed just moments after she pulled the blankets up to her chin.

__

The day was bright and warm, perfect for the walk into town. Rin skipped along happily, her small hand held securely within her mother's. Her brothers walked ahead of her, playfully taking turns shoving each other off the path. Their laughter came time and again, joined occasionally by her mother's soft chuckle at their antics.

Rin hummed cheerfully to herself as they walked. Today was a very special day. Her father, gone for nearly a month selling the things that he had made, was going to meet them in town. He'd promised they'd spend the entire day there, with a trip to the biggest store to look over the new things that had arrived since their last visit. With a wink, he'd talked about the many types of candy they'd try in a whisper that her mother had pretended not to hear.

The first buildings rose into sight just ahead of them. Their shadows stretched outward, dark splotches on the otherwise sunny landscape. As she followed her family into their dim depths, Rin's humming died in her throat. Her steps slowed, her feet feeling as heavy as if the ground were trying to hold them down. Goosebumps rippled over her arms like all the warmth had just been sucked from the air.

Turning instinctively to her mother for comfort, Rin was stunned to find that she was gone. She looked around wildly but there was no trace of her mother or brothers anywhere in sight. She was suddenly and thoroughly alone.

Frantic now, Rin raced into the town. Her legs pumped furiously against the dragging sensation as only one thought pounded in her mind. She wanted find her father as quickly as she could. He would know where to find the others. He would make everything right again; all she had to do was find him.

Even though she felt as though she was running in slow motion, the people whipped past her so quickly that they were little more than blurs. Person after faceless persona turned away from her as she begged for their help, their voices hissing whispers that told her to keep running and never come back. She raced on, looking for the familiar form of her father than never appeared . . .

Rin awoke with a start to find her heart pounding fiercely in her chest. She looked around, feeling disoriented at the unfamiliar surroundings. It took her several minutes to gather her thoughts enough to remember where she was and what had happened to get her there.

By the time that she managed to calm her breathing, she had she had managed to separate her actual memories from the images in her dream. It was slightly confusing since the settings of both had been the same. The town in her dream might have been out of focus but she had seen enough of it to know that it was the same one that she was currently residing in.

As much as she enjoyed using her imagination, Rin was a rational person at heart. She knew that the nightmare was the end result of many factors and not something to be taken seriously. The setting explained itself easily enough. With the creepy déjà vu feeling she had been enduring, it was no wonder the place had followed her into her sleep. The appearance of her family members likely came from the streamside memories she had indulged in the day before. Looking for her father was probably a subconscious mirror of the security she was hoping to find as she made her home in this new environment full of strangers - nameless, "faceless" witnesses to her presence. The feeling of cold came from the fire that had gone out and the heavy, dragging feeling was merely the blanket that had tangled itself around her legs through the course of the night.

Satisfied with her explanations, her eyes drifted to the window where the first hint of dawn was making its appearance. It was still dim but there was enough light for Rin to make out the shadowy forms of the table and chair in the corner, the only furniture that the room boasted aside from the bed. The space was clean but small, nice enough for the night but not somewhere that she'd want to spend a lot of time. It reinforced her plan to find another place to live that had more space and privacy as soon as possible. However, before she could do that, she would need to find a way of securing some kind of steady income.

She slid her legs over the side of the bed and stood. Wrapping the blanket around herself to ward off the early morning chill, Rin moved to the chair and sat down. She always found her thoughts to be clearer when she was surrounded by the peacefulness of nature. Since taking a hike into the woods at that hour was out of the question, she was forced to settle for a view of them instead.

With her head resting against the back of the chair, Rin began to compose a list of all the things, both good and bad, that would effect her potential jobs. She had a lot of things that she needed to think about and she wanted to handle them all in as organized a manner as she possibly could.

The first and most obvious item on her list was the fact that she couldn't speak. Not only would it make getting any job more difficult, it also ruled out a few completely right from the start. For that reason and from sheer force of habit, she would prefer a job that allowed her to be alone at least some of the time. She sadly accepted that she might not be able to indulge that choice; at this point she would have to take whatever she could get and count herself lucky.

That thought brought home the fact that no amount of planning would really help her until she knew what sorts of positions there might be in the town. She couldn't prepare herself for every single possibility and she wouldn't have the time to do it anyway. The only thing that she could do was keep her ears open and her spirits up and hope that everything would somehow work out in the end.

Firmly keeping a positive outlook, Rin made it through another crowded mealtime with the other boarders. Then, taking a deep breath and crossing her fingers, she started off on her search. She barely made it three steps from the boarding house when a man hurried to her side and began to speak.


	9. Chapter 9

**Field of Innocence  
By** _Lady of the Ink  
_**Disclaimer:** I don't own Inuyasha, but you knew that . . .I hope. But I do own this plot and all the twists that it takes.

**x**

**x**

**Chapter Nine**

* * *

Rin sighed in contentment as she dug her fingers deep into the rich soil. The setting sun was warm on her back and there was just enough of a breeze to keep the day from being too hot. It was as close to a perfect moment as she could remember having in a long time.

She rocked back on her heels and took a critical look at the patch of ground in front of her. Every weed and dead growth had been carefully removed, leaving behind a row of precisely lined up and perfectly healthy plants. A feeling of pride filled her, making the ache in her lower back and knees seem unimportant. There was just nothing quite like the satisfaction that came from a job well done.

Climbing to her feet, Rin gathered the pile of weeds she had pulled and started back down the path that she had traveled over hours before at the beginning of the day. On either side of her stretched field farther than her eyes could see. She knew them to be full of every herb, berry, and tree that could possibly be turned into medicine of any kind. After all the hours that she had spent walking through them, she could point out the location of any plant in a matter of seconds.

It took several minutes of walking before a house came into view against the twilight-tinted sky. It was a simply built single room structure but its dimensions set it apart from others of the same. At nearly twice the average height of a one-floor building, it was an imposing sight to behold. The enormous doorway added to the effect, making it clear that something large called the dwelling home.

That something, or rather _someone_ stepped into sight seconds later. Rin waved towards the massive creature, smiling when the gesture was hesitantly returned after only a brief pause. During the two weeks since she had come to stay with Jinenji and his mother, she had been working diligently to earn their trust. One look at Jinenji's scars had pulled at her heart. Knowing all that he had gone through simply because of the way that he looked both angered and saddened her. It hammered in more than ever her belief that there was just no getting along with some people. The thought of living close to anyone who would even consider doing something so horrible to one of the gentlest souls she had ever met made her feel sick to her stomach.

Luckily that was no longer a problem. Her new job had come complete with lodging - a small cabin that had had to be abandoned when Jinenji had outgrown it. It wasn't as large or as cozy as he cottage had been but she was coming to feel attached to it all the same. There was the same feeling of serenity and closeness to nature as there had been in the meadow, only now she had the added bonus of the company of people who felt the same connection.

Wanting to wash off the grime of a busy day, Rin hurried to her new home. She built up the fire and put water on to heat. As she waited, she let her mind drift back to the moment the foundation for this new life had been laid.

She had only taken a few steps from the boarding house when a man had halted her. Since he was a stranger, she had kept her guard up throughout their conversation but had listened to what he had to say. He said that while they had never met, he had heard about her. According to him, nearly everyone knew there was a mute girl several towns over that had a knack for making highly effective medicines. Many times people from the very village they stood in had gone the extra miles specifically to buy the mixtures she made.

At that point the man had obviously noticed the uncomfortable expression she wore at being "well known" and had hurried on with his explanations. While there was an excellent herb grower just outside the village, he said, he knew little about mixing and brewing them. There had been talk about finding someone who did know those things and forming a sort of partnership between the two. That was when her name had come up.

He finished by telling her that someone had mentioned that she was in the area and he'd thought that it wouldn't hurt to ask. If she wanted, he offered, he could take her to see Jinenji to see if she'd be interested.

Rin had felt very suspicious of the whole thing. She had only been in town for one night, had only been gone from her old home for four. How had this man known that she was here, down to the boardinghouse where she had spent the night? For that matter, how had he known who she was? She had never had direct contact with anyone throughout her medicine-making career, preferring to let Larissa handle that part. Few people knew much of anything about her and yet this man who she'd never met seemed to know more than she was comfortable with him knowing.

It was only because she couldn't think of any reason why someone would want to lie to her that she had allowed him to finish talking rather than walking off in the middle. She was glad that she had stayed when he had said something that - unintentionally, she thought - offered an explanation. He was asking her if it bothered her that Jinenji was a half demon when it had dawned on her. She was now in a territory that, unlike the one she had left behind, was rife with demons of all types. If she remembered correctly, it was even ruled by one of the most powerful demons around.

Rin knew that demons not only had much stronger senses that told them a lot that humans would never be able to pick up on, they were also very territorial. They made it their business to know everything that went on within the borders of the lands they had claimed as their own. It was entirely possible that the man in front of her had heard about her travel and skills from a demon, perhaps one of many charged with knowing all that went on in the town. With their speed, a demon could have easily made it to and back from Larissa's village with plenty of information about her situation.

There was another possibility that she felt she had to acknowledge, no matter how improbable it seemed. Sesshomaru had left her behind less than a full day ago, but he would have had plenty of time to arrange this meeting if he had so desired. Not only would it fit his inexplicable trend of helping her, but delegating the task to some else to carry out seemed perfectly in tune with his superior air.

Rin had hoped that it was the first explanation rather than the second. While she would have appreciated the sentiment behind his actions if he had set all this in motion, she would feel much better if she had earned it on her own merits. There was just something unsatisfying about having a position handed to her without having done anything to deserve it. If she accepted the job and later found out that that was why she had gotten it, she knew she wouldn't feel right about keeping at it.

In the end she had agreed to go with the man to meet Jinenji, no promises made on either side. The long walk to the fields beyond the town had given her time to think and come to a very important decision. If the situation turned out to be as good as it sounded and it seemed like she could really be of use, she would stay. She might never know the reasons behind the offer (she certainly couldn't ask and the man didn't seem like he would tell) and so she'd have to find a way to make peace with herself, no matter what. So long as she worked hard and did her best, she would know that she deserved to stay, no matter what had gotten her there in the first place.

And that was exactly what she had done. After accepting the job quite happily, she had spent the next two weeks pushing herself from the moment that she woke up until she fell into bed at night, too tired to even dream. Her stock of medicines grew quickly, almost as quickly as the list of people who wanted to buy them. She soon had a stash of money put away, but more than that, she felt like she'd found a place where she belonged.

The kettle was boiling and so Rin poured it into a bucket half full of room temperature water. Washing off the sweat and dirt that had coated her skin through the course of the day was a true pleasure. By the time she slipped on a clean outfit, she was feeling refreshed and ready for dinner. As had become customary, she took the final meal of the day with Jinenji and his mother in their home. Although the old woman came off as rough and angry at first, it didn't take long to see the good person beneath that persona. The genuine love that she had for her son shined through clearly in the things she did for him and the way she looked at him.

Rin was as content as she had been in her old home. Since her move to the smaller cabin, she hadn't been bothered by anyone. She knew that Jinenji's size and his mother's salty demeanor had a lot to do with it, but she was reassured by it nonetheless. It looked like her life was once again becoming the orderly and calming experience she was used to and preferred.

* * *

The man crouching at the edge of one of numerous fields hissed softly to himself as the slender girl emerged from the cabin just inside his line of vision. His eyes followed her every movement as she headed towards the only other building within a mile or more. There was a brief moment when she was bathed in the soft glow of light pouring from the windows before she vanished inside.

Finally deeming it safe enough, he rose to a standing position. Arching his back to relieve the soreness there, he frowned to himself. There was no longer any doubt in his mind that the girl residing with the old bat and her half demon brat was exactly who he had feared she might be that first day in town. He had gotten close enough - although not easily - to recognize her features, albeit more mature than the last time he had seen them. The round-faced child had grown into a beautiful woman. The change was so marked that he hadn't been exactly sure about her identity . . .until he saw her eyes.

He knew those eyes, remembered those eyes. He still dreamed of them, tear-filled and frightened in her childish face, angry and promising revenge in her mother's. They were the only feature she had gotten from her mother, not counting her height and build. In almost everything else she was a duplicate of her father, the genial, outgoing man everyone had known and liked. Her brothers, too, had inherited his coloring. He could still remember seeing the four of them around town, the three men happily following the chattering little girl.

There was only one memory of her mother - the last one. It was so powerful, so vivid that it had blotted out all the others that had come before it. There were no scenes of idle chitchat, no images of her with her children or husband. It was always those eyes, brimming with hate and disgust, staring at him, burning into him . . .

He shuddered and redirected his thoughts. Now wasn't the time to think about that. He had things he needed to find out and plans to make based on those findings. A few more days of closer observation would let him know if the girl knew anything she shouldn't. If she didn't, she could go on with her life and he would be able to rest easy for the first time in years. But if she did know more than she should, something would have to be done. He had worked too long and too hard to have her resurface and take it all away from him. The moment she became a problem, she would meet the same way fate as the rest of her family.


	10. Chapter 10

**Field of Innocence  
**By _Lady of the Ink  
_**Disclaimer:** I don't own Inuyasha, but you knew that . . .I hope. But I do own this plot and all the twists that it takes.

****

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Chapter Ten

* * *

Rin walked towards the town humming a song that she made up as she went along. Even though she couldn't speak them, she made up words as well. They ran through her mind in a continuous loop with every pretty and interesting thing that she saw being added in as she came upon it. She was in a bright mood because this would be her first trip to town since moving to Jinenji's farm.

As the buildings came into view, she found herself looking at them with a new eye. They all seemed friendlier somehow, welcoming and cozy rather than imposing, as they had been before. It was amazing what an effect having some security made on the way a person saw the world. The people crowding the streets were no longer frightening and threatening; they were just simple people working hard and living their lives in the same way that she was doing.

She offered smiles and nods to the ones she recognized from their trips to Jinenji's farms to buy herbs and medicines. It was nice to be able to put names to the faces. It was yet another step towards feeling as though she truly belonged.

Jinenji's mother, or Yori, as she had insisted Rin think of her, had written out a list of all the things that they needed and given very clear and thorough directions on where to find them. The old woman explained that Jinenji preferred not to go to town because of what had happened to him earlier in his life. Since she didn't like to leave him alone for long periods of time, having Rin there to go for them was a welcome change. Rin secretly thought, with plenty of fondness, that Yori's antisocial presence wouldn't exactly be missed in town.

The blacksmith was the first stop that Rin made. She handed over the sketch she had made of a new tool Jinenji had thought up for the fields. He looked it over and assured her that he could have it finished in a few days. With a burst of satisfaction and a slightly lighter purse, Rin headed off to her next destination.

Living as they did in the middle of a very fertile area, there wasn't much in the way of food that they needed but couldn't grow. The few small items that couldn't be found at the farm were readily available at a small shop located in the center of the town. Since nearly everyone in the village would wind up their sooner or later, she left a bunch of filled orders there as well, where they could be easily picked up. It made the second purpose behind her trip to town much simpler.

There were a few orders that Yori had requested that she deliver in person, however. They were either old friends or ones that had no one to pick up the mixtures for them and were unable to do it themselves. She had assured Rin that they were no threat and that they already knew who she was and the fact that she couldn't speak. Rin was more curious about the people that the salty old woman actually liked than she was nervous about meeting someone new. For that reason, she was smiling to herself as she headed toward the first of the houses on her list.

A loud "Come in!" immediately followed her knock. Pushing the door open just enough to peek inside, she caught sight of a woman seated by the fireplace. Upon seeing Rin, she motioned for her to come in. After taking a few steps forward, Rin noticed that her left leg was heavily bandaged and propped up on a small stool. Suddenly the tin of cream to ease pain and lower swelling that she was there to deliver made sense.

Smiling her hello, Rin stood patiently while the woman looked her over with a critical eye. She must have passed the inspection because the old woman finally returned the smile and allowed her to hand over the medicine and the instruction sheet that went with it.

And so it went for all the houses that she visited. She was surveyed from head to tow the moment that she entered and then welcomed politely, if not enthusiastically, at each home. Some of the people chatted with her like they'd known her for her whole life while others merely paid for their medicines and offered a simple thank you. All of them knew that she couldn't speak, just as Yori had promised.

Rin was enjoying meeting the quiet people as much as the outgoing and friendly ones. It was wonderful to meet such a variety of people. After so long of seeing only Larissa, she thought she would enjoy doing rounds of deliveries every once in awhile.

The sun was starting its downward descent as she left the next to last customer. The old man had thanked her close to a dozen times for the tea that he swore was the only thing that could ease his cough. She knew her face was bright red from the unexpected praise as she slipped out the door. Wanting to hide her burning cheeks, she tipped her head down so that her hair fell forward and blocked them from view. Unfortunately, it also blocked her view, leading her to bump into someone after only a few steps.

The impact wasn't very forceful but it still made her wobble a bit. Hands settled on her upper arms until she regained her balance. Looking up, Rin found herself standing in front of a tall, older man. His graying blonde hair hung to his shoulders. The face staring down at her was round and deeply tanned with a web of fine lines fanning out from the corner of his eyes. He was smiling at her but there was a probing quality to his gaze that caught her off guard.

Writing it off as a slightly rude version of the same curiosity that every else that she'd met that day had shown, she grimaced in embarrassment at having plowed into him. Mouthing her apologies, she breathed a sigh of relief when he accepted them with a laugh.

"In a hurry, were you?" he asked jovially, bending at the same time she did to retrieve the jar she'd dropped upon their collision. He grabbed it before she could and still without handing it back. Rin rose too, uncertain of what to do or how to act. The man seemed unconcerned, tossing the jar from hand to hand as he smiled down at her.

"You must be the girl that's living with that old woman and her son out on the herb farm. Everyone's been talking about you. This is the first time that I've seen you in town."

Rin nodded and smiled a little uneasily. He just continued looking at her until he suddenly dropped the jar into her hands. Touching two fingers to his forehead in a sort of salute, he winked. "I guess I'll be seeing you around then," he told her as he turned and walked away.

Rin remained unmoving for several moments after he vanished into the crowd. The entire meeting had been strange and the feeling lingered with her. She couldn't say what it was exactly, but something about the man made her uncomfortable. Maybe it was the intent way that he looked at her or the forward way he had spoken, but she'd gotten an eerie feeling that he had some odd sort of interest in her. For the first time, she recalled her dream of the cold and rejecting town and a shiver danced across her skin.

Forcing herself to put it out of her mind, she reached into her pocket and checked the address of her last stop. It was the one closest to the path back to the farm, which was why she had chosen to save it for last. She would be glad to get it out of the way and return to the cabin for a little solitude. The entire morning was proving to be a bit more company than she was apparently ready for.

Upon reaching the small cottage-like building, Rin stopped short. Although it looked exactly the same as the others surrounding it, there was something about her destination that stood out for her. If someone had set her loose on the street and told her to pick a house to approach, it was the one she would have chosen without hesitation. There was just something about it that spoke of safety to her, a place where she could let down her guard.

Wanting to know where the feeling was coming from, Rin hurried to the door and knocked. She was listening so intently that she was able to make out the sound of feet shuffling towards her as she waited. She unconsciously began to chew on her lower lip as the door began to open, excited and anxious at the same time.

The woman standing in the doorway was not what she had been expecting. She was younger for starters, looking like she was in her early forties or so. The dark hair that hung down her back in a thick braid was barely touched with gray, her face smooth and unlined. She smiled gently when she met Rin's gaze, motioning for her to come inside.

Following the older woman into a small sitting room, Rin felt the sense of familiarity growing stronger with every passing moment. She knew this house, this room. She had sat in the rocking chair in the corner, had played on the rug by the hearth. These were facts that she was sure of, but the memories that would have supported that knowledge refused to surface. Confused and wanting answers, she turned to the most likely source.

"Do you remember me at all, Rin?"

Jumping a little at hearing her name, Rin knew that she was gaping like a fish but couldn't help herself. Only Larissa, Yori, and Jinenji knew her name and she knew that none of them had told this woman. Was it a lucky guess or was it possible that she had known her . . .before? Was the sense of déjà vu more than just an odd feeling? Had she really been there sometime in the past?

Almost as though she had read her guest's mind, the woman began to speak again. "You used to come here when your mother went with your father on trips. Your brothers stayed with friends but you never really get along with other kids your age. You seemed so happy just to go through the book your mother made you on plants and their uses. I knew that you would wind up working with plants when you got older." The woman stepped closer, her eyes scouring her face from top to bottom. "You're so much like her, you know. Your mother, I mean. Not so much in looks aside from your eyes, but you have that same spark."

She laughed softly at the confused expression on Rin's face. "But I don't think that's what you're waiting to hear. Come take a seat and explain everything to you."

There were two chairs facing each other in one corner of the room and that was where the woman headed. She sat in one and motioned towards the other. It was only after Rin had sat down that she began her story, closing her eyes as though dredging memories up from somewhere deep inside.

"I wasn't sure if you would remember me since you were so little the last time that we met. I moved away for a while, just after you turned five, I think. By the time I came back, your entire family was gone and I didn't think I'd ever see you again. But then I saw you walking through town and I just knew it was you right away. When the gossip started that you were living at the herb farm and were a wonder with medicines, I was more sure than ever that you were my little Rin, come back home again."

Rin had been hanging onto every word that came from her mouth and the last sentence almost made her jump. Home again? This town, this village had been home? It certainly explained the odd dreams and the feelings of uneasiness that she wasn't able to completely shake. While she remembered some aspects of her past as clearly as though they had just happened, the location had never been more than background to the traumatic events. It was entirely possible that she had found her way back and hadn't even known it.

Turning to the woman, she concentrated on her face, struggling to bring to mind any memory that she could of this stranger who wasn't a stranger. She knew that they were there, waiting just below the surface of her mind for the right stimulant to come along and bring them back. Even as she struggled to remember, a part of her was rejoicing.

Maybe she had finally found the key to solving the mysteries of her past.


	11. Chapter 11

**Field of Innocence  
**By Lady of the Ink  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own Inuyasha, but you knew that . . .I hope. But I do own this plot and all the twists that it takes.

**x**

**x**

**Chapter Eleven  
**

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Rin sat with a cup of tea in hand across from the woman who had introduced herself as Myra. They had been talking for what had to have been a couple of hours; or at least Myra had been talking. Rin had just been listening intently and nodding when something the older woman said prodded an old memory to the surface of her mind. She nor recalled several occasions spent with a laughter prone girl who was a younger reflection of the one in front of her. With those memories as proof that Myra had been telling the truth about their shared past and her open personality, Rin was certain she could trust her.

In the beginning, all of the reminiscing had been of happy times, like picnics on sunny days and birthday trips into town. They had both smiled at her brothers' antics and sighed at the romantic things her father had done for her mother. It hadn't taken long, though, for the conversation to turn to the more important and unfortunately darker memories.

Rin had known what was coming when Myra's smile faded and she had started fidgeting in her chair while redirecting her gaze to the floor. She braced herself for it but did nothing to try and stop it. It was bound to come up sooner or later and she was actually very interested in what someone who had been older at the time remembered. She had been so young then that she knew there were a lot things that she had missed noticing or that had been kept from her.

"Your father . . .when he . . .when he . . ." she began, her face twisting with the pain of what she'd have to say. Rin tapped a finger against her mug to get Myra's attention. She smiled a bit sadly as she nodded in what she hoped would be recognized as a sign that she understood and was ready to hear what she'd have to say. After a moment, Myra took a deep breath and went on. "When your father was k-killed, I never believed what they said. He was a good man, one of the best people that I have ever known. There is just no way that he could ever have done what they said he did. I just wanted you to know that."

Rin lifted a hand and shook her head with a frown. She had no idea what Myra meant by that last remark. She remembered that her father had died, of course, especially since her brothers had been with him at the time and met the same fate. To her younger self, though, it had just seemed like they weren't around anymore and she remembered wondering when they would be back. Her father had gone on trips often and had taken her brothers with him once or twice before. She had thought it was just another, longer trip that time and had waited for them to walk through the door with the small gifts they always brought from wherever they'd been. Her mother's tears had only confused her then. Time had finally brought an understanding of what had happened to them but by then her mother was also gone, taking any knowledge of a scandal like the one Myra was talking about with her.

Myra seemed to catch on to her confusion quickly. This time her hesitation was almost unnoticeable before she explained. "For several months before . . .what happened, bandits started hitting just outside of town. They knew when the deliveries were being made or when someone was particularly vulnerable or carrying a lot of money. It was pretty obvious that the only way they could find such big targets with the level of consistency that they were was if they were with or for someone living in the town. Someone was feeding them inside information that allowed them to strike at the best possible times to suit themselves.

"Everyone in town started looking at everyone else, trying to figure out who the traitor might be. It was an awful time with so many suspicions where they had only been friendship before. The town split into small groups, each one certain that another was behind it all. Even then it was a big deal and it only got worse when people started getting hurt. It was like the bandits were getting cocky. They started striking bigger caravans and hitting closer to town."

She shook her head sadly. "Your father made a lot of trips out of town and your mother was understandable worried. She wanted him to stay home until everything got settled and traveling was safer. He decided to make one more big trip and then stick around until after the bandits left or got caught. Since there was so much stuff to take, he took your brothers along to help him.

"It was just after he left that the rumors started popping up about him being the one behind the raids. He traveled a lot and unfortunately, many of his trips came either just before or just after an attack. With all the times he would have been a perfect target, he never became a victim." Myra's face took on a disgusted expression as she went on. "That was all it took for people to start thinking that her was a pretty good suspect. Suddenly everyone stopped turning on each other and started turning on him."

Myra thumped a fist against the arm of her chair. Her face almost glowed with the conviction of what she was about to say. "If your father had been here, I believe that he would have set them straight in no time. He was such an honest, good man that anyone facing him would see that he would never be involved in something so wrong. He and your mother were always the first ones to help anyone out; neither of them would have put their neighbors in danger for something so stupid as money. They might not have had a lot, but they were as happy as anyone else here.

"But your father wasn't around to defend himself and your mother refused to dignify their suspicions by talking to anyone who actually believed them. Because of that, the rumors spread and grew stronger. And when the robberies stopped right after you father and brothers were killed, it just seemed to support their theories. They said that her must have had a falling out with the bandits that were working for him and they killed them before moving on.

"It always bother me, you know, and not just because I knew your father like he was my own brother. Even an objective person would have noticed that there were huge holes in the story. Why would someone conducting a group of thieves make himself the only merchant not robbed? And what kind of father would take his two young sons with him to meet with such despicable characters? Everything pointed to him until you looked at the clues closely; then it was clear someone wanted it to look like your father was the bad guy."

She shook her head in disgust. "Of course, no one wanted to do that. They had their neat and tidy ending and that was all that they cared to know. There were no more questions asked and everyone went back to their normal lives. Everyone but you r mother, that is." Myra's brow furrowed. "That was what I wanted to ask you about, actually. She mentioned a couple of times that she knew something about the who was really behind the bandits' attacks. I was worried that she was putting herself in danger by getting involved." She laughed humorlessly. "Maybe I was right to be worried since I heard you and she left in the middle of the night not long after. She died not too long after that, didn't she?"

Rin nodded, knowing what the older woman was thinking. If her father had been set up and her mother had begun looking into the real culprit, that person would have had to have been angry. They were very close to getting away with their crimes and someone was coming along who might bring them all to light and ruin everything. If her mother had been careless enough to get caught, their quick departure from the village might have been an attempt to avoid whoever she had found to be the true mastermind.

Thinking back with the new information from Myra, Rin was able to put together a few memories that had confused her up until that point. The rushed packing and the way they had left in the middle of the night had been explained by her mother as an adventure. When she was older, she had thought he mother had just wanted to get away from all the memories without having to face the townspeople who had known her husband and sons.

Now she wondered if her mother hadn't somehow gotten a last minute warning that she was in danger. It would explain why after leaving the only home Rin had ever known, they had headed to the north, a place filled with remote villages. The people there were very private, having few dealings with the surrounding villages. Their customs were outdated compared to the others, their beliefs sometimes laughed at as backwards and ridiculous. She had probably thought she would be safest there, away from anyone who might have heard about what her husband had been accused of and far from the reach of the one who had actually done it.

In the end, she had been very, very wrong. In the short time that they had lived there, her mother, as was her nature, had generously shared her knowledge of plant life and its healing abilities to the sick in the village. Everyone had been amazed at how quickly her "patients" recovered.

A little too quickly in the eyes of the town's former healer. He had started on a campaign that marked her as a "consorter with the evil ones", as he had put it. He swore she must have sold her soul to learn what she knew and that her medicines were designed to make it easier for her to tempt the townspeople into accepting a life of sin like her own. He'd even gone so far as to call her a witch, a word that held a power in the primitive province that it had lost everywhere else generations before.

The worst came when a small boy her mother had been attempting to help died in spite of her attentions. Though she had told his parents from the start that it was a long shot that she could save him, they had apparently thought otherwise. The moment he passed on, they had turned on her with a fury born of grief. Trying to ease their pain by placing the blame on someone, they had joined with the healer and helped spread his cause. Before the child's body was laid to rest, they had gotten word through the town that letting him die was her way of getting revenge upon them for not joining in her wicked plots.

Rin's mother, having lost two children of her own not so very long before, had known what they were feeling. She'd gone to them without a bit of anger at the lies they had spread and offered them her understanding and what poor comfort she could give. Upon learning of her sons' deaths, they had calmed and it had seemed like everything was resolved. While there was still a lot of restraint between them all, the townspeople had quieted down and life had returned to what Rin had come to know as normal.

It made what happened next all the more unexpected. The small group of men had come to their home a few nights later. Rin didn't remember faces, just the sight of the torches they carried. The flickering glow had been the only light on a night where the moon was nowhere to be seen. They had yelled through the door, saying a lot of things that she didn't understand. Her mother had been furious, locking the door and screaming at them to leave them alone.

Rin had blocked out most of what happened after that only to have it return as fragmented sounds and images that haunted her sleep. The thud of boots as they crashed into the door, finally knocking it from its place. The cold, painful grip on her arms that drug her outside. The snarling voices that rose and fell like waves, spitting words that she had never heard before but somehow knew were bad.

The clearest memories were of her mother, proud and defiant even in the face of what she had to have known was coming. She stared the men down as they tied her hands behind her back, not saying a word as they placed her at the thick post they'd had waiting. It was only when they'd moved Rin into a similar position that she broke her silence and yelled at them to let her go. She'd begged and pleaded for them to leave an innocent child out of their plans but it had done no good. Minutes after dragging them both from their home and into the woods, they'd set the brush at the base of the post aflame with their torches.

The smoke had been awful from the beginning and had grown thicker with every passing second. Rin remembered the feeling of it being pulled into her lungs, so burning and heavy that it had felt like swallowing liquid fire. Her eyes had stung and watered and everything had melted into a hazy blur that made her almost able to pretend it was nothing more than a bad dream.

That illusion had ended with the first searing lick of the flames against her legs. She dimly remembered screaming at the pain as it climbed to her knees, so strong and unavoidably real that it had taken with it the blessed numbness the smoke had provided. Her already sore throat had grown even tighter as scream after scream was torn from it.

When the ties on her hands suddenly came loose she would have dropped into the flames had there not been an arm around her shoulders holding her up. She remembered being dragged backward, too dazed to know exactly what was going on. When her mother's face floated into view in front of her, she'd relaxed in the knowledge that somehow they would both be all right.

That had ended when her mother's hoarse voice had reached her ears. She'd told her very calmly that she had to run, to get as far from this village as she could as quickly as possible. She was supposed to find somewhere where she could be safe and stay there. Her mother's final words before urging her off were that she should keep quiet about what had happened. Don't say anything, she'd made her swear; just keep quiet and you'll be safe.

Rin had only looked back once, just long enough to see her mother collapse to the ground. When she didn't move, Rin knew that saving her was the last thing her mother would ever do. She had started to run then, moving as fast as her throbbing legs would let her. Instinct had led her to their home, but she knew it wasn't safe to stay long. Grabbing the first things she could get her hands on, she'd shoved them into a bag and taken off into the night.

From that moment on, she knew she was on her own.


	12. Chapter 12

**Field of Innocence  
**By _Lady of the Ink  
_**Disclaimer:** I don't own Inuyasha, but you knew that . . .I hope. But I do own this plot and all the twists that it takes.

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Chapter Twelve

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Several long moments passed in silence as the two women became lost in their thoughts. Rin was struggling to absorb everything that Myra had told her and reconcile it with her own memories. She recalled her father and brothers' deaths with the detachment of a child who had been too young to fully understand at the time. She had known that they'd died on the same day but she'd never been told the details. Her mother had been vague on the subject in what was probably an attempt to cushion the blow.

It was her mother's behavior that she was focusing on at the moment. Had there been signs of what was to come, signs that she had been too young to see or understand? Were the answers to both Myra's and her own questions waiting to be found in her memory? She had always thought about the events that had come after: the rush to leave town and the horror that had found them anyway. She had never looked closely at the things that her mother and said and done right before that. Maybe it was time that she did.

Coming to that decision allowed Rin to refocus on her surroundings once more. The first thing that she noticed were the lengthening shadows in the room. More time than she had thought had passed during their conversation and the moments of contemplation that had followed. If she didn't start back to Jinenji's farm right away, she would be completing the walk in total darkness.

She climbed to her feet with a slowness that was a reflection of her reluctance to leave. There was a small, subconscious fear that this would be the last time she'd have a chance to speak with someone who knew the things she herself had forgotten. It was irrational, she knew, and a product of all the time security had slipped through her fingers just when she thought her grip was tightest. There was no logical reason for her to feel panicky, and yet she couldn't banish the feeling.

Myra walked with her to the door and clasped her hands between her own. She smiled fondly. "Whatever happened in the past, I'm glad you've come home. Things can only go better this time. Don't spend too much time dwelling on the bad memories; you've got an entire lifetime to good ones here."

She gave Rin's hands a final squeeze before letting them drop. Rin gave her the brightest smile she could manage before she waved and stepped into the street. Her feet started back toward the herb farm but her mind was somewhere else. As she walked unseeingly past the people and buildings, Myra's parting comments were running through her head in an unending loop. As much as she had been coming to like the town, she hadn't really thought about her future there. She'd been taking her life one day at a time since the fire at her cottage.

Trying to look forward in time for the first time, Rin felt a little uncomfortable with the idea of committing herself to anywhere for a long period. As much as she, like most other people, wanted the security of a place to belong, she just wasn't sure that this was where she would find that. The last time that she had felt truly safe and secure had been during her childhood, with her parents and brothers around her.

Her steps slowed as she pondered that. Her time at the cottage had been a good time in her life, bringing a sense of contentment that she'd thought she'd never regain after her mother's death. But as nice as it had been, she wouldn't have even thought to compare it to her life with her family. Being away from people who might do her harm had also kept her from the ones she might have grown close to, become friends with. It hadn't been until she'd begun living with Yori and Jinenji that she'd realized how starved she was for companions to share everything with, the good and the bad.

She smiled a little as she thought that maybe she had been looking for the wrong thing this whole time. She had been looking for security through physical things like a solid home and money saved. All along the real source of the security that she remembered hadn't been the home but the people who had filled it. She'd find the place she wanted to spend the rest of her life by looking for the people who made her feel the safest and most at ease.

An image rose unbidden in her mind of a being of shades of white. Long silvery hair that flowed like liquid moonlight rested over clothing just slightly lighter. Pale features etched a face that was imperious perfection and haughty beauty. Tall and strong and yet able to move as quickly and quietly as wisps of morning fog, he was a mass of contradictions.

Sesshomaru. He had appeared in her life by a twist of fate. He'd saved her life and shown her to a fresh start. During the short time that they had known each other, he had made gestures that would bind him to her memory. Every day that she woke up was a day that she owed to him. The home, job, and friends that she counted herself so lucky to have could all be traced back to him bringing her to this town.

Rin thought back to the days she had spent traveling with him. She had just lost her home and nearly all of her possessions in a fire that had also come very close to taking her life. She had nowhere to go; her only friend lived in the same town as the men who had come after her. Going there would have been asking for more trouble. When he'd offered her a chance at something else, she'd felt like accepting it was the only choice that she could make.

She should have felt troubled during that trip. She had no idea where he was leading her or what she would find once she got there. Her entire existence was up in the air and at the mercy of a demon she had only just met. He easily could have killed her or abandoned her along the way. He could have led her into danger or to a fate even worse than dying and there would have been no one to stop him.

Yes, she should have felt the entire spectrum of negative emotions during that trip . . .but she hadn't. She'd found a sort of freedom in the unknown and, even more unbelievably, a kind of comfort in the presence of the remote Sesshomaru. He had asked her for nothing in return for his help, not even conversation. Even if it was just in her own mind, she felt as though he had accepted her exactly as she was. He didn't expect her to act a certain way or conform to any rules. She was just herself and for whatever reason, that was the person that he had helped.

She thought back to the liberating sensation of that time with a tinge of wistfulness. She had felt less like she had nothing to hold onto and more like there was nothing holding her down. There were no obligations to meet, no people to hide from. She was anonymous and untouchable by all the horrible things that had chased her for so long and as long as Sesshomaru was beside her, she knew that nothing new would come to bother her.

Rin laughed at her whimsical notions as the roof of the larger cabin came into view. It had to be the stress of what she'd remembered that was making her have such fanciful ideas. Sesshomaru probably hadn't spared her a thought while he was helping her, let alone since. Making him into something more, even just inside her own mind, was nothing short of foolishness. She'd likely have felt the same way about anyone who's come home to her rescue at that moment. Romanticizing the memory of someone she'd probably never see again was just a waste of time.

A movement of shadow on shadow caught her eye and brought her attention back to her surroundings. She stared at it until she recognized the large form of Jinenji. When she gave him a little wave, he hurriedly ducked inside. His reaction to her gesture made her pause until the realization that he had been waiting for her dawned. A gentle warmth flowed through her at the evidence that he was looking after her in his own way.

Maybe she didn't plan to stay here forever, she thought to herself, but there were friends she wouldn't easily leave behind. For now and as long as it lasted, she was happy with the home she had here.

Still smiling to herself, Rin made her way into her cabin. Her mind was clear as she washed up and had a simple dinner. It was while she was washing the few dishes that she had used that her thoughts turned back to her discussion with Myra. Something the older woman had asked had stuck with her and she wanted to give it more thought.

There was a rocking chair in one corner of the room and that was where Rin chose to sit. She could still remember her mother rocking her when she was young and the action had brought her a sense of calm. She had a feeling she would need all the comfort she could get for what she was about to do.

Myra had asked whether she had noticed her mother acting oddly in the days after her father's death and before their sudden departure from town. She'd never thought of that time period when she allowed herself to think of the past at all. Her own choice of memories had been when all five of them were together and the nightmares that had followed her were always about what came after. It was possible that there was a clue to what her mother had known that she had overlooked at the time.

Rin thought back to the plan she had come up with just before leaving Myra's house. She knew that the best way to remember anything would be to go over it all one step at a time. She wanted Myra to correct or add to the things she could remember, but it wasn't something she could do verbally. To tell Myra everything that she knew, she'd have to write it down first.

Her eyes moved around the room as the final details of her idea fell into place. She would be going back to town in a few days to pick up the finished tool for Jinenji and make another round of deliveries. That would give her plenty of time to get her thoughts straight and write them all down for Myra's benefit. If she left earlier then than she had that morning, they would have almost half a day to go over the notes and look for clues in her mother's actions.

Her mother's memory box caught her eye and she felt a surge of satisfaction. If she remembered correctly, her mother had kept a journal of sorts in the box along with all the family mementos. Not only should she be able to find enough loose sheets for her own writing, it might also have exactly what she was looking for within its pages. Sliding off the chair, Rin crossed the room and took the box from the shelf where it was resting. She sank to the floor and for the first time since her mother's death, she opened the latch and looked inside.

The first things she found were the ones she had expected: locks of hair, small bits of ribbons and fabrics from outfits that had had special meaning. There were some dried flowers carefully wrapped in a handkerchief and a pouch that turned out to contain smaller, less elaborate carvings in her father's style. She could only imagine that they were some of his first creations, given to her mother when they were still young.

A soft smile had found its way to her lips as she looked through all the little things that she and her brothers had made and given to her mother on holidays and birthdays. They were nothing special and yet her mother had accepted them as though they were the grandest presents in the world.

Her fingers grazed something larger than the other items. Placing everything else aside, she reached in and pulled out the thin book that she had been looking for. Opening it, she saw page after page filled with her mother's careful writing. Skimming the pages, she saw that it dated back to before she was even born. Her father's name showed up frequently, eventually followed by her brothers' and then her own. There were notes jotted in the margins about plants and new medicines that she had come up with, but the bulk of the entries were about the family. It was clear that they had all been the most important things in the world to her.

Rin's hands started to shake as tears filled her eyes. This was what she had wanted to avoid by leaving the box alone all these years. She'd known the memories would be hard to take, but at the same time, she felt like she was getting a part of her mother back, too.

Setting the journal aside, she dug her own handkerchief from her pocket and wiped her eyes. With a deep breath, she grasped the book and flipped back to start at the beginning. As she did so, something fluttered free of its pages and landed in her lap. She picked it up, expecting a childish love letter from her mother or one of the awful poems her oldest brother had always written.

It was a letter, all right, but that was the last way it met her expectations. The missive was sealed and written across the front in her mother's familiar handwriting was a single word.

"Rin."


	13. Chapter 13

**Field of Innocence  
By** _Lady of the Ink  
_**Disclaimer:** I don't own Inuyasha, but you knew that . . .I hope. But I do own this plot and all the twists that it takes.

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Chapter Thirteen

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My dearest Rin,

_If you're reading this than something has happened to me. I'm so sorry to have left you alone. I can only hope that you are safe and well and among people who will care for you in my absence. Please believe me when I say that it was my greatest wish to be able to destroy this letter before you ever had to know of its existence._

_But I'm straying from my point. No matter what else happens, I want you to know the truth about what happened to your father and brothers. You deserve to know as much as their memories deserve for it to be known. Your father was a good man, the kindest and most honest man I've ever met. No matter what you may have heard or been told, there is just no way that he would ever get involved in anything as wrong as what they say he did. It would have been against everything he stood for, against his very nature._

_Knowing him as well as I do, I knew from the very start that he hadn't had anything to do with those bandits or their attacks. I was sure that his streak of luck at not having been cornered by them had to have been just that- luck. It was only later that I realized that the truth was so much worse than just a chain of fortunate coincidences. He hadn't just been at the wrong place at the wrong time; he had been maneuvered there by someone for the purpose of taking the fall. He was coldly and deliberately set up._

_When he died along with your brothers, the loss hit me hard. So hard that I knew that if I gave into it completely, I might never recover. A large part of my world had been ripped away from me in the most brutal way and I felt like I was falling into the darkest night I could imagine. It hurt so much to know that they were gone and never coming home again._

_You were my salvation. Taking care of you helped to keep the darkness at bay during those first days when the pain was the strongest. Seeing your sweet little face made me realize that I had to be there for you, the one person I had left. Life was going to go on and I was going to go with it._

_But I also realized something else. As young as you were at the time, you wouldn't have a lot of memories of the three of them. If I wanted you to be unaffected by the rumors, I would either have to be sure to tell you enough so that you would know what kind of man your father was or I could prove to everyone that he was innocent. In the end, I've decided to do both. My journal is yours now; read it with my blessing as you feel ready. Learn about where you came from and know always that you were created of and always cared for with love._

_My darling daughter, I can only hope that you will understand why I have to do what I'm going to do. As much as the thought of leaving you alone and unprotected pains me, I cannot allow your father's memory to be tainted by these lies. I love him too much to have him remembered as something he was not._

_Be safe and well, my Rin. Know that there is nothing good in this world that I don't wish for you. Let no one tell you what you can and cannot do or who to be. It's not about finding your place in the world; it's about making one. Surround yourself with people who will let you be free and ignore those who would keep you down._

_I love you._

The final words of the letter blurred before her eyes. She blinked in an effort to clear them, but it didn't help. It was only when she head a soft plop and looked down to see a puddle smearing the ink that she realized she was crying. Instead of wiping the tears away, she hugged the letter to her chest and folded her body into the smallest ball possible. With no one but the quietly whispering wind to hear her, she sobbed.

When she finally lifted her head, it felt like a large amount of time had passed. The fire that had been crackling happily earlier had burned down to a subdued level. It was the perfect representation of how she felt. Now that the first burst of emotion had passed, she was left feeling drained and tired. Reading her mother's words and learning what she had wanted for her had hit her hard. She had felt so close to her mother in those moments that ending the letter had been almost like losing her all over again.

Rin pulled in a deep, shuddering breath as she tried to compose herself. She used the bottom edge of her skirt to wipe the last traces of tears from her face. Bracing herself as best as she could, she finally allowed her eyes to drift back to the paper in her hand. It was too dim now to make out the actual words but she felt as though they had been burned into her brain. If her mother had wished for her message to make an impact, she had succeeded.

Her fingers traced gently over the straight, neat sentences as she replayed them from her memory. Even while she had been taking in the emotion inspiring words of hope, she had noted a deeper meaning to the letter. The fact that it had been written at all proved that her mother had known there was some sort of danger surrounding her. The risk was so high that she felt the need to leave an explanation behind should the worst happen to her.

Rising to her feet with the slowness of an old woman or someone who had just been hit with a completely unexpected shock, she shuffled across the room to build up the fire. She knew there was little chance of her falling asleep anytime soon. Her mind was too overrun with questions and thoughts that piled up on each other, merging and whirling until she couldn't make any sense of them. If she tried to sleep, she knew she'd spend the night staring at the ceiling and waiting for morning to come.

Stooping by the fireplace, she pulled a twig from the edge of the flames and used it to light the candle that rested in the center of her small table. With a final stop by the bed to grab a blanket, she took a seat at the table. Her mother's memory box was in front of her, the letter and journal beside it. She opened the box slowly, unable to keep her fingers from gently tracing its carved surface as they had so many times before. Fighting off the intense wave of nostalgia that the action gave rise to, she began to sort through the contents.

The first items were exactly what she had expected, including the ones she had come across while looking for the journal. But buried at the bottom of the box were several things that she couldn't make any sense of at all. The first was a button, which was common enough by itself. What made it a curious find was that it was carefully folded inside a piece of paper that had a small map sketched on it. The illustration bore an "x" that she could only assume marked where the button had been found. Her confusion and interest only increased when she found a scrap of fabric and a small, broken knife blade in the same condition.

Setting them aside for the moment, Rin turned her attention to the journal where she was sure the answers would lie. After wrapping the blanket securely around her shoulders, she settled in as comfortably as she could and began to read the story of her mother's life.

It began when her mother was a few years younger than she herself was at the moment and continued on until just before her death. Her marriage, the birth of her children, and all the other important events of her life were written about in great detail. It was like being given the chance to relive her mother's life, seeing everything through eyes that weren't her own.

Towards the end, the entries grew more subdued. She wrote about the bandits and her fear that her husband and family might be injured. There was then a gap of several weeks during the time when Rin's father and brothers were killed. She guessed that the time had been too traumatic and her grief too great for her mother to worry about putting it into words.

The entries that came after that pause were radically different from the ones before it. The entries were now short, clipped sentences that spoke of a cryptic mission her mother had been carrying out.

_Searched meadow. Footprints left, cut off at river. Familiar footprints; check boots. _

_Asked questions at N. town- times don't match. Baker spoke of another man coming around. Description sounds familiar. The one?_

_Question R.S., J.P., and S.S.. Find out what they saw firsthand._

_Demons? Involved? Or helpful?_

The final entries were lengthy but clearly written in haste. The slightly smeared words detailed times and places where people had been during the attacks. While the names of the people and towns were abbreviated until Rin couldn't decipher them, there were enough details that she was sure someone with more knowledge of the area would be able to pick them out with little trouble.The last entry in the journal held her attention the longest. If she was right, the date marked it shortly after their departure in the middle of the night. It was just before her mother had been killed and so the words that she had scrawled sent a chill up Rin's spine.

_He followed us. Have to do something drastic. Hiding clues where he won't find them. Trying to get word to someone back home. This ends now. _

Rin swallowed a sob but couldn't stop the tears that misted her eyes. It had ended, but not the way her mother had been hoping. The threat had come from someone other than the man she thought- no, **knew** was chasing her. She should have paid more attention to the people who'd been so quick to condemn her for her knowledge.

Shaking off the sadness as best she could, Rin turned her attention to the things that could still be handled. The logical plan to ask Myra to decipher the names of the towns and people was quickly overshadowed by a belated revelation. If her mother's notes were to be trusted - and Rin was certain that they could be - then she had found the person behind both the bandit attacks and the murders of her family. All the random notes of her search had been condensed into proof against someone she listed only as C.M.. Even as uninvolved and uninformed about the situation as she admittedly was, Rin could tell that her mother had amassed what amounted to a very strong case for murder.

Focusing on the room around her for the first time in hours, Rin was startled to find that the first light of morning was making its appearance. She rubbed at her tired eyes and stretched muscles that had become tight after hours of stillness. A heavy sigh escaped her as her excitement was dimmed by the decision that loomed in front of her.

Years had passed since the deaths of her father, brothers, and mother. She was now the only one left to see that their names were cleared of what they had been accused of. She had the proof in front of her; with the help of Myra, she could see to it that the truth was known to everyone who had condemned a man for dieing before he could defend himself. It was up to her to see to it that her mother's final efforts hadn't been in vain.

But on the other hand, was it really worth it to dredge up the past? She had been living peacefully since her return. Bringing up old scandals was sure to shatter that calm, making her a person of interest for quite some time. She would lose the solitude that she held so dear and quite possibly a few of her friends as well. Who knew who this C.M. was and who he might be connected to.

Rin sighed heavily. This could be one of the most important decisions that she would ever make. Choosing between the past and the future might seem simple but there were so many downsides to both choices that she was filled with uncertainty. Would it be right to put her own selfish wants before the honor of her family? Was it okay to let the past put her own life at risk? Whoever this C.M. was, he wouldn't be too happy about having it all brought up again when he probably thought he had managed to get off scot-free.

Leaving the papers on the table, she slowly carried out her morning routine. Changing her clothes and folding the blanket that she had used were done on auto pilot as her mind continued to race. It was when she was washing her face that the decision seemed to almost be taken out of her hands. As she looked up at her reflection, she found herself looking into her own eyes like they belonged to a stranger.

Or not quite a stranger.

They were her mother's eyes, not just in color but in experience now as well. They had both been through tough times and they had both come out with their pride and beliefs intact. Her mother had faced her defining moment with everything that she had to give. She might have died in the course, but Rin was sure that she would have found that fate much more acceptable than never having tried.

Now it was her turn. A crossroads lay in front of her, waiting for her to take the first step. Winning or losing wasn't the point, she saw; it was the trying that mattered in the end. She had to do whatever she could to accomplish what she believed was right. No matter what happened to her as result, doing her best would be enough.

Knowing that, Rin understood that there was only one thing that she could do. Yanking one of the blank sheets from the back of her mother's journal, she dashed off a quick note and pinned it to the door. Gathering all the evidence that her mother had left her, she returned them to the box and tucked it under her arm. With her cloak slung over her shoulders to ward off the early morning chill, she retraced the path that she had just taken the night before.

Rin only made it halfway to town before there was a sudden movement behind her and everything went black.

* * *


	14. Chapter 14

**Field of Innocence  
**By _Lady of the Ink  
_**Disclaimer:** I don't own Inuyasha, but you knew that . . .I hope. But I do own this plot and all the twists that it takes.

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Chapter Fourteen

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The morning was cool and still. Even the birds that usually sang to the rising sun were strangely silent. The whole of the forest seemed wrapped in an unnatural silence, as though every tree and creature were holding their breaths.

Or almost every creature.

A single being broke the frozen tableau. His movements were fluid, controlled, and without sound. It was easy to believe that his imposing visage was the cause for the surrounding hush. Although he was merely walking in a non-threatening manner, it would have been impossible to miss the air of strength and danger that surrounded him like a shroud.

That air had been growing steadily darker over the past weeks, although no one had remained near enough to him long enough to tell. Where he usually inspired caution and respect from those who crossed his path, there was now outright fear and confusion that led to their exits as quickly as they could manage. It was very clear that the oldest son of Inutaisho wasn't in a good mood and no one wanted to be in the vicinity should he decided to take it out on his surroundings. They hurried on their way to whisper amongst themselves about the cause of his ill temper.

Sesshomaru himself wasn't entirely sure what the problem was and that only added to the problem. He disliked being uninformed about anything that might possibly affect him in even the smallest way. The fact that this was something inside his own mind that was toying with him made it a dozen times worse. A leader who didn't know his own mind deserved no followers and a warrior who was unsure about his reactions would soon be dead.

His face showed no outward sign of the sudden swell of disgust that rose within him. As much as he didn't want to admit it even to himself, he _did_ have an idea of what was haunting him. The worst of it was that it was the very last thing in the world that he wanted to be able to have an affect on him, let alone one of this magnitude.

Or rather, the last person in the world.

His pace quickened as her image rose once more, the detail vivid from the top of her dark hair to the scars marring her legs and feet. The memories of her had been bothering him almost since the moment that he had left her side. No matter how often he told himself that she was none of his concern and that he was lucky to have gotten her out of the way, he couldn't quite translate that into keeping her out of his thoughts. Moments of the slightest relaxation in his mental guard had given rise to such unacceptable questions as the state of her well-being and even, more unforgivably, her happiness. He found himself _wondering_ about her past, what had happened to her, and even what her name might be.

A small curl of his lip was the only sign of his self-directed disgust. He had given more time, thought, and effort to this girl than he had to the last ten other humans he'd met combined. She had done something to him that had locked her in his mind, an unwanted pest he simply couldn't shake.

Sesshomaru drew to a stop at the edge of a towering cliff. Below him was a tree filled valley divided by a wide, swift flowing river. The area was very familiar to him and it also marked the end of his journey. Arriving there meant that he had accomplished his goal and crossed over all of his father's territory.

While his two-week trip had been completed, the secondary purpose behind it was no closer to being resolved. He had hoped that the time and solitude would allow him to cut whatever ties bound the silent girl to him. He wanted nothing more than to be free of the connection he strangely felt toward her. His desire to return to the version of himself that he had been before meeting her remained unachieved.

Turning on his heel, Sesshomaru began retracing his steps. His strides were long and determined, reflecting the decision that he had come to during his moments of stillness. He hadn't been able to walk away from her in the beginning and even seeing to her placement elsewhere hadn't been enough to get his peace of mind back. It was clear that he needed to try another tactic. If avoiding her wouldn't work, it was obviously time for another confrontation. And if that still didn't present a solution, he would simply have to find another way to rid himself of her and the problems she had rained onto him.

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Rin groaned as she became aware of a heavy throbbing in her head. She remained motionless in the hopes that it would keep the pain from getting worse. The moments of stillness also gave her time to try and sort out what had happened to cause her condition in the first place. Her memory was a little fuzzy and disjointed and the steady pounding wasn't making it any easier to concentrate.

The first solid thought to hit her was a vision of her mother's memory box. It was like a crack in the wall holding back the other images because they all started flooding in. She remembered the letter, the notes, the clues, and her decision to take them all to Myra. It was a little hazy but she remembered leaving the cabin and heading towards town. There had been something behind her . . .a noise or maybe just a feeling before everything went black.

A sharp tug on her skirt had Rin's eyes shooting open. She saw a man kneeling at her feet, his hands lifting the material of her skirt almost to her knees. As she watched in a stunned sense of fear, he forcefully yanked the fabric, tearing a three-inch wide strip off of the bottom. He repeated the process twice more, leaving him with three strips of fabric and her with a skirt that was indecently short.

Her gasp finally brought his attention to her and gave her her first clear look at his face. She was instantly struck with a sense of familiarity and although she couldn't immediately place him, she was certain that she had seen him somewhere before.

When he saw that she was awake and looking at him, he smiled coldly but continued with his task. Before her still woozy mind could order her body to move, he had tightly bound her feet together with one of the strips. The shock of helplessness that rushed through her finally spurred her to action when he tried to do the same to her arms. She swung wildly and with all her strength, managing to land a solid, closed fist punch to the side of his head. He cringed just enough to allow her to line up a second shot to his nose.

The instant that the man fell backward, Rin twisted onto her stomach and dug her fingers into the grass beneath her. She knew there wasn't time to try and untie her feet so she had to work around the handicap. Using her hands, arms, and as much traction as she could get from her bound legs, she forced herself forward. Her muscles screamed in pain at the strain and she knew she'd pay for it later.

If there was a later.

All the air whooshed from her lungs when a heavy weight slammed onto her just moments later. She shuddered at the feel of moist breath in her ear as her captor chuckled. His hands grasped her shoulders and he flipped her onto her back with an ease that spoke of great strength. With a knee on either side of her waist, he pinned both her arms over her head with one hand.

"You didn't think I'd be letting you get away so easily, now did you?" The instant she heard his voice, Rin flashed back to the day before. She heard him asking if she was in a hurry in the same unemotional tone. He sounded as if they had met in a public place rather than him having her bound on the ground in the middle of nowhere.

Her shock held her immobile as he tied her hands together so tightly that they throbbed. With that accomplished, he leaned back but didn't rise from the ground. He twisted his face into what she guessed was supposed to be an expression of sadness or remorse. It chilled her because she knew it was more of a mask than any actual reflection of what he might be feeling.

"You should have left well enough alone. I was all set to leave you be and you just had to go and dredge up the past." He flung his arms out in a gesture of helplessness. "This is all your doing; you've simply left me no choice. It's out of my hands now."

Rin stared at him in disbelief. He was blaming her for whatever it was that he planned to do to her. He obviously believed that he was in no way responsible, that she had brought everything on herself. She remained silent as he continued to rant, choosing instead to look closely at her surrounding for anything that might help her. What she was offered little in the way of assistance but more than a few revelations.

The area she was in was secluded, surrounded by high brush and a few straggly trees. Even if he hadn't moved her far from the road, no one would be able to see them. His tirade, as rambling and illogical as it was, was being spoken in a voice too low pitched to carry to any ears that might be nearby. Barring some unforeseen incident, she was well and truly on her own.

The next thing to catch her attention was her mother's memory box. It was sitting a few feet away, still closed. The sight of it was like a catalyst, snapping everything into place in her mind. The man's ravings suddenly made sense to her. He had to be the mysterious C.M., the one her mother was certain was behind her father's death. He's probably recognized her soon after her arrival in town and had kept an eye on her to see what she knew. The meeting the other day had most likely been deliberate, a test to determine if seeing him would cause any kind of reaction.

From what he'd said after she woke up, Rin could only guess that he'd been about to leave her be when something had changed his mind. She had no idea what that thing was, but if his rambling continued, she was sure it would slip out before too long.

Rin swallowed hard when the man finally moved away from her but her relief was quickly reborn as fear when he grasped her bound hands and started to drag her across the rocky ground. He didn't take her far, just to the nearest tree. Using the last strip of cloth, he tied her arms to a branch above her head. With her legs straight out in front, she was effectively cut off from making any sudden movements.

The man seemed to be in no hurry as he retrieved her mother's box and sat down close to her feet. Flipping open the lid, he smiled coldly at her. "I've always wondered exactly what your mother knew. I'd hoped all this had been destroyed or lost, but this is the next best thing. I'll be able to see the evidence she was always spouting off about before I get rid of it forever."

As he began rooting out the contents of the box, Rin yanked down slowly with her arms. Her efforts were rewarded with a few extra inches of give and a low groaning creak. As soon as she released the pressure, the branch snapped back into place.

Filing her findings away, she returned her attention to her captor. He had finished looking over the items he'd pulled out and was shaking his head. "So she wasn't just using empty threats." He looked at Rin and flashed a toothy grin. "I have to say that it's actually something of a relief. I'd gotten to wondering over the years if I'd gone a little overboard in keeping your mother quiet. At least now I know that arranging her death was necessary. I don't have to feel bad because of the conscience that's popped up in my old age." He chuckled as though he'd made a joke before he focused on the surprised and confused expression in her face.

"That's right!" he burst out excitedly, "you didn't know about that, did you? It's only right that you should know everything since you're caught up in it, always have been." He reached out, the tips of his fingers grazing lightly over the exposed scars on her legs. Rin flinched and jerked her legs out of his reach while a queasy feeling rose in her stomach. The man took no notice, just continued on with his tale. "I apologize for those. When I played the little birdie and whispered witch in those other villagers' ears, I never thought they would go the burning route. I wasn't even sure you'd be involved since ever rustics like them usually believe in mercy to children and all that. You, my dear, have simply awful luck."

He was completely insane, Rin realized. He spoke of arranging her mother's murder like it was nothing, blaming what had happened on the victims instead of admitting fault. She sensed that it wasn't an act; he truly saw himself as having no choice or responsibility for he had done. It was almost like he was totally uninvolved in it all, watching it from the sidelines like it was some kind of macabre play.

A stab of intense fear shot through her. As unremorsefully as he had killed her father, brothers, and mother, it was more than likely that she was about to meet the same end. Even if she could have tried to talk him out of whatever he was planning to do with her, she had a feeling that reason wouldn't have had much effect on him. She was going to have to find another way to save herself.

That thought held her full attention as the man built up a small fire and proceeded to burn every single item that the box had contained. She took only a moment to mourn the loss of her last physical ties to her family along with the clues her mother had gathered to prove her husband's innocence. Her memories would have to do . . .assuming she found a way out of this trial.

Her mind's frantic racing for a plan was cut short when he finished his impromptu bonfire and returned his full focus to her. His face twisted into an image of regret that made her skin go cold. The attempt to portray the emotion looked so alien on his features that it was like he was wearing a mask.

"You're all that's left to take care of yet. If only you hadn't come back here and gotten a hold of that evidence. It wouldn't have had to come to this. I'm truly sorry."

Rin forced herself to remain as calm and unmoving as possible as he advanced on her. The plan that she had managed to compile was simple but it required precise timing. She would have to wait until exactly the right moment or risk wasting her one chance to get away. Her life depended on her patience.

The man advanced on her slowly, acting as though he were in no hurry. It furthered her conviction that the entire ordeal was nothing to him. Killing her was merely a task on a to do list that needed checking off. Her existence and its impending end were both meaningless in his eyes.

His previous actions were so slow that the sudden move he made blanked her mind for several precious seconds. One moment he was still a few steps away, the next he was right in front of her and his hands were closing around her neck. Her air was cut off immediately as pain shot through her throat.

The pressure grinding her neck shocked her brain back into working order. Gritting her teeth against the pain, she jerked her arms downward with all her strength. The branch that her arms were tied to bowed considerably and she felt the small movements that signified several bits had splintered but it still snapped back into place the moment she stopped pulling. With the edges of her vision going black, Rin knew she would only have one more chance. She pulled once more, her entire bucking with the effort as she hoped with everything in her that it would work this time.

Someone must have been looking out for her because a loud crack rent the air. At the same time, the force holding her arms up suddenly reversed, snapping them downward so suddenly that her shoulders burned. There was a muffled thump, a sharp cry, and then the sound of her own harsh gasps as the hands feel from her throat and she was finally able to breathe again. Her vision cleared to reveal C.M. clasping both hands to his face, bright red blood welling from between his fingers. The branch that had crashed into him lay in her lap, her hands still bound to it.

Her will to survive kicked Rin's consciousness, reminding her that she wasn't safe yet. While he was still distracted by his pain, she maneuvered her hands until she could grasp the branch in them. She then scrambled onto her knees, her stomach lurching painfully as she wondered if she would really be able to do what she needed to do.

The sound of her movements must have caught his attention because he jerked his head around to look at her. She shuddered at the expression on his face. The mask was gone; real rage was twisting his features as he lunged forward.

It was that look of total hatred in his eyes that allowed her to move. Holding her breath, she drew her arms back and braced herself before swinging with everything that she had. The branch whistled as it cut through the air before meeting the man's skull with a bone-jarring thud, forcefully enough to snap most of the remaining branch off of her bindings.

Rin watched with a choked sob as he crumpled to the ground. Unsure of how much time she'd bought until he recovered to vent the full force of his anger on her, she didn't waste a second. Using the tree that her back was against as a brace, she managed to get to her feet. Her ankles were still tied together and so she had no choice but to hope rather than run like her nerves were screaming at her to do.

With her wrists still lashed together and keeping her from using her arms to help maintain her balance, she had to focus her entire attention on just staying upright. Her eyes were locked on the ground in front of her and her ears were filled with her own panicked breathing. It came as a total surprise then when she ran headlong into a rock solid obstacle.

The force of the impact sent her sprawling backwards onto the ground. She grunted as the bruise on the back of her head slammed into the dirt and sent waves of pain running down her neck. Her vision blurred for a second and when it cleared, all she saw was a field of white. Her eyes traveled up . . .up . . .up . . .and up until they came to rest on the most welcome sight she'd ever seen in her life: Sesshomaru's face.

Rin sobbed with relief. She wasn't sure where he had come from or why he was on that road at that moment and she didn't care. All she knew was that his arrival made everything okay. There was a feeling inside her saying that she was safe with him that was as strong as it was inexplicable.

His expression remained as blank as always but she thought she saw a hint of questioning in an ever-so-slightly cocked eyebrow. That vanished quickly as his golden eyes raked over her from head to toe, taking in her torn clothing and bound limbs. Something flashed in their depths but he turned away too quickly at the sound of approaching footsteps for her to make out what it was.

Her former captor and murderer of her family burst from the brush with all the subtlety of a herd of drunken buffalo. His progress came to a sudden halt when he caught sight of the motionless demon. Even as he stumbled to a stop, his jaw dropped and his eyes widened. The hands that had been previously balled into fists slackened as they fell to his sides.

By that time, Rin had pulled herself back into a sitting position. Her gaze swept back and forth between the two, knowing that something was going to happen but not knowing what that something might be. She was torn between curiosity and trepidation about who would act first and what their move would be.

If she had been a little calmer, she might have realized that what came next was almost inevitable. Sesshomaru was hardly the type to lower himself to start fights with humans. They were barely worthy of notice, let alone further attention than that. So really, it shouldn't have been a surprise that C.M. was the first one to speak.

"Ah, so sorry to have disturbed you," he began, rushing to straighten his clothes. The mask was firmly back in place, right down to the vague smile and false cheerfulness. He apparently hoped to urge Sesshomaru on his way by acting like nothing out of the ordinary was going on. Rin had to suppress a smirk at just how impossible that desire would be.

The man continued. "I'm sure you have much more important matters to attend to, so we'll just get out of your way." He bent slightly as he reached for Rin's hands, paying no attention to her instant cringe. His hand made it to within six inches of her before there was a flash of movement. More quickly than her eyes could follow, Sesshomaru's hand whipped through the air.

It was back by his side as though it had never left before the effects of his action become clear. The strips holding her wrists and ankles together fell apart, taking the last bit of tree branch with them. At the same time, the entire sleeve of the man's shirt fluttered before collapsing into six shreds that dangled from his bent elbow.

The moment that she realized she was free, Rin jumped to her feet. More angry than afraid now that she was no longer helpless, she glared at him from Sesshomaru's side. The towering demon remained motionless, acting for all the world as if he had no involvement in the matter at all.

Rin didn't mind, knowing that the minute he got involved in the fight was the minute it would be over. She was actually glad of the opportunity to do what she did next. She kept her eyes glued to the man's face as she reached into one of the deep pockets of her tattered skirt and withdrew her mother's journal.

The moment that he realized what it was and what it mean, it was as though something in him snapped. His expression twisted into an inhuman snarl and he threw himself towards her. He was so far gone that he didn't spare a thought for the very powerful figure that had already come to her aid once.

It was an incredible sight to see. One instant he was running in one direction, the next, after the merest whisper of silk on silk, he was flying up into the air. He landed with a thump just inches from where he had taken off, still breathing but obviously unconscious.

Rin felt her entire body slump as she accepted that the danger was over. The adrenaline that had been keeping her going vanished, leaving her with the weight of a sleepless night and numerous bruises, physical and mental. She wanted nothing more at that moment than to curl up in a ball and sleep for a week but she knew that she couldn't. There were things to be done not just for herself, but for the sake of her family. She was the only one left to see to it that their names were cleared and that justice was done. She would accomplish those things proudly and afterwards . . .afterwards would come the tougher decisions.

Once more, she stood upon the crossroads.

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X

Rin left Myra's house with a lighter heart than she could remember having since childhood. The work that her mother had done was finally in the right hands, as was the man who had committed all the terrible acts. She had finally laid the past to rest and with that achievement had come a clearer outlook on the future.

As much as she had come to like the people the filled the village, there were simply too many memories there for her to remain. Everywhere she looked was a reminder of the past, good or bad. Although she knew she would cherish many of them later, she simply wasn't ready to be surrounded by them yet. There was something very important that she needed to succeed at first.

For almost as long as she could remember, parts of her life had been dictated by wills other than her own. When she was a child, her parents had guided and protected her as parents should. When her father was taken from her life, her mother had continued to do everything that she could. Once she, too, was gone, Rin had lived as best she could through her mother's advice. Everything she did was modeled on what she thought her mother would have wanted her to do.

It was time for there to be a big change in her life. The final letter that her mother had left behind had given one last piece of advice that Rin meant to follow as faithfully as every other. Only this time she wouldn't be doing it to please someone else; it would be for herself. She was going to find her place in the world and the people that were meant to be by her side. She would find her happiness.

It had quickly come to her that doing that would be impossible if she remained where she was. Everywhere she went, people were looking at her with new eyes - or rather old ones. She was no longer the new girl who had gone to work with Jinenji; she was that child Rin who had disappeared with her mother so long ago. All they talked about was the sudden conclusion of her family's painful story; all they saw when they looked at her was the daughter of ones who had suffered a great wrong.

If she stayed there, she would never be anything more than she was at that moment. While she had nothing against the person that she was, it wasn't who she wanted to be for the rest of her life. There were things that she wanted to see and try and new people that she wanted to greet her with eyes untainted by the past. When time had gone by and she was comfortable that she was where she wanted to be in life, then she could come back to face them all with a clear heart. Until then, she needed to put distance between herself and the past.

Lifting the bag that she had left by the door, Rin headed down the street and out of town. Having shared tearful farewells and promises to visit with Jinenji and Yori earlier that morning, Myra was her last stop. Their parting had been just as emotional but even more poignant. They both knew that their goodbyes were being said not just for them, but also for the ones they'd both known.

As the buildings turned into open space and trees, Rin pulled in a deep breath. The sun was shining and a gentle breeze was blowing, making it the perfect day for a journey. When she caught sight of a familiar white-garbed figured waiting on the next rise, a smile curved her lips and her steps quickened. She wasn't quite sure where he would lead her, but she was open to all possibilities. As long as he was with her, she knew that she wouldn't have to be afraid. Whatever might come, she was ready for it.

She had chosen her path, but no one ever said she had to walk it alone.


End file.
